We’re joined this week by Joseph Graves Jr., a genetics professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and author of The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium and The Race Myth: Why We Pretend Race Exists in America. Dr. Graves takes us through the science that proves the myth of biological notions of racial difference, and the political, economic and cultural reasons why these myths endure in our society, not only among ignorant white supremacists but liberal scientists like David Reich, who warns that if scientists continue to "stick their heads in the sand" in the face of emerging evidence that supposedly proves the validity of biological races, they will discredit themselves and provide ammunition to those with a racist agenda.

Dr. Graves is also a member of Science for the People and one of the organizers of the response of 67 scientists and researchers to Reich’s arguments published in Buzzfeed. Graves is as sharp on politics as he is on genetics, and he minces no words describing how many of his colleagues are blind to the ways that their work is impacted by the racism endemic to capitalist society and indifferent to how their work is used to promote the agendas of armies and corporations.  It’s a terrific conversation. 

Jen’s out this week, so Eric joins Danny in the opener to discuss Bernie Sanders’ long-anticipated presidential announcement, and the new dynamics he’ll face as a frontrunner facing a party that has gone from mocking his ideas to trying to coopt them. 

Links for this episode: 

Check out these books by Joseph Graves Jr. 

•	The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium (bit.ly/GravesJrEmperors)
•	The Race Myth: Why We Pretend Race Exists in America (bit.ly/GravesJrPretend)

For more on the current debate about biological race check out 

•	David Reich’s New York Times article "How Genetics is Changing Our Understanding of 'Race'" (bit.ly/ReichRace)

•	And then of course the response to Reich by Dr. Graves and others: “How Not to Talk about Race and Genetics” (bit.ly/Gravesresponse)

•	Finally, find out more about Science for the People (http://bit.ly/Sci4Ppl), an organization that describes itself as dedicated to building a movement around radical perspectives on science and society.

44: Here comes Bernie, Joseph Graves Jr. on the scientific fiction of race

In this episode, Kristen and Zakiya join us to talk about recent developments in technology worker organizing. From walkouts at Google over sexual harassment to demands that companies like Microsoft cancel their contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), tech workers are using their power to expose the abuses of that industry.

Kristen and Zakiya talk to us about some of that organizing. We talk about the role of racism and sexism and their experience of both in the industry and what role the new organizing is playing in pushing back against those conditions.

Kristen and Zakiya are both active socialists with an analysis of the role of technology in capitalism. They talk to us about the many ways in which technology is a “force for evil” in our society and why that is. But they also envision the ways in which technology could be different in a socialist society and how that inspires their vision and organizing.

Links for this episode:
*Lea Ramirez on tech complicity with ICE (http://bit.ly/2IVJqBc)

*Kristen Sheets on the #MeToo walkouts at Google (http://bit.ly/MeTooGoogle)

*Alexei Goldstein on the surveillance economy and its discontents (http://bit.ly/SWSurveillanceEconomy)

*Siddarth Patel on Are tech workers the problem? (http://bit.ly/TechWorkersSW)

Music for this episode:

The Boy & Sister Alma, “Lizard Eyes”(Dead Sea Captains Remix)
Cybotron, "Techno City"
Holly Herndon, “Home”
Kraftwerk, “Computer Love”
Lizzo, “Phone"

45: Women in tech talk organizing

Haven’t you heard? People are feeling socialism these days--almost as much as they’re feeling the crushing anxiety of mounting debt, climate catastrophe and the rising tide of bigotry and racism. But what exactly does socialism mean today? Jen Roesch and Danny Katch talk politics and protest with a range of guests to uncover the path to a better world from the wreckage of this dung heap.  If the daily struggle with capitalism has you teetering on the edge of existential despair, then this is your indispensable dose of socialist wisdom and hope.

Better Off Red Podcast

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