“The Difference Between Us” is Part I of the film series, Race: The Power of an Illusion. It examines how recent scientific discoveries have toppled the concept of biological race. The program follows a dozen diverse students who sequence and compare their own DNA. They discover, to their surprise, that their closest genetic matches are as likely to be with people from other “races” as their own. The episode helps us understand why it doesn’t make scientific or genetic sense to sort people into biological races, as it dismantles our most basic myths about race, including natural superiority and inferiority.
Before you watch the video, answer this question on a Word document:
1. Imagine you are in a room full of Whites, Asians, Hispanics, Blacks, American Indians, and Pacific Islanders. Which group do you think you will share the most genetic similarity with?