October 3i, 2012____________________________ (©bseruer
Page II
The Science ofRace
An insight of
human variation
Though each of us is as unique as our
fingerprint, humans across all walks of life
actually have more in common than ever
previously imagined.
A new exhibit about the science of human
variation at the Oregon Museum of Science
and Industry (OMSI) challenges visitors to
consider race in a new light. Open through
Jan. 1, RACE: Are We So Different? is the
first national exhibition to tell the story of
race from biological, cultural, and historical
points of view.
Offering an unprecedented look at race
and racism, the exhibit was developed by the
American Anthropological Association in
collaboration with the Science Museum of
Minnesota.
“The concept of race has not always
existed,” notes exhibit contributor Robert
Garfmkle of the Science Museum of Minne
sota. “This exhibit reveals that sorting people
by physical differences is a recent invention,
only a few hundred years old.”
The interactive exhibit introduces t h e .
idea of race as a prim arily social construct
as opposed to physical reality, presenting
a contem porary scientific understanding
o f hum an variation that challenges the
idea of racial differences and even ques
tions the very concept of race.
“W hile race is the least im portant as
pect in determ ining character, it is often
the m ost significant factor in how we are
¡SUBWAY*
O N L Y V A L ID AT:
Young people take in perspectives on race, identity and ethnicity through words, pictures and objects in a new OMSI exhibit,
RACE: Are We So Different?
perceived,” said Garfinkle. “The truth is:
hum an beings are more alike genetically
than virtually any other species on the
planet.”
Sponsored locally by The Standard, along
with the National Science Foundation and
the Ford Foundation, the RACE exhibit ad
dresses the topics o f race and racism from
three different perspectives— science, his
tory, and everyday experience— interwoven
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to tell a compelling story with lasting impact.
One of the activities for visitors at the
exhibit. W ho’s Talking? asks attendees to
continued
on page 14
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