As the title suggests, The Science of Racism is a chronicle of the science behind racism. In Keon West’s own words from the introduction: “Our values are the blueprint for the world we’d like to live in. Our politics are the roadmap directing us to that world. That much, I will leave up to the reader to sort out for themselves. But science is the best way we have of understanding the world as it is. Over the course of this book, I ask the reader to leave that to me.”

With each chapter, Keon West asks and answers some of the biggest scientific questions about racism. While the depth of research can occasionally feel a little dense, West balances this with well-placed humour and a few interactive elements where he invites readers to take part in imagined scenarios inspired by - or directly pulled from - some of the studies he outlines.

As a white person who is constantly seeking opportunities to learn, unlearn, and become more intentionally anti-racist, I am grateful to add this book to my toolkit and recommendation list. For fellow UK-based readers, I would recommend this book alongside Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga and Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. While these three books overlap at times, each stands firmly on its own in approach, perspective, and takeaways.

I was personally drawn to this book due to its UK-centric perspective, although Keon West also delves into research from across the globe. I appreciated West’s ability to remain grounded in research while being unapologetically honest about the realities of implicit racism. That said, I was disappointed by his discussion of one particular study, and I would be remiss not to mention it here. When discussing a study conducted in Occupied Palestine (note: the author uses the country name of the colonisers), West makes a pointed decision to withhold “personal opinions” and discusses the study in the context of the “conflict.” While this choice may have been outside the author’s control, I couldn’t help but feel discomfort at West’s willingness to comment on other atrocities of racism and colonisation, rooted in hard fact, while shying away from the unequivocal reality of the colonisers’ relentless genocide of the Palestinian people.

One final note is that this book does not deeply explore intersectionality. However, the author does address this in detail in the afterword, ending with the following: “It would be a piss-poor form of anti-racism that only benefited middle-class, able-bodied, heterosexual, cisgender, non-immigrant men of colour.”

As stated above, The Science of Racism is a valuable contribution to the ever-growing library of anti-racist resources, and I am grateful to Keon West for sharing this wealth of knowledge with a world that is very much in need of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Picador for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.