A terrible thing to waste : environmental racism and its assault on the American mind / Harriet A. Washington.
"From injuries caused by lead poisoning to the devastating effects of atmospheric pollution, infectious disease, and industrial waste, Americans of color are harmed by environmental hazards in staggeringly disproportionate numbers. This systemic onslaught of toxic exposure and institutional negligence causes irreparable physical harm to millions of people across the country--cutting lives tragically short and needlessly burdening our health care system. But these deadly environments create another insidious and often overlooked consequence: robbing communities of color, and America as a whole, of intellectual power. The 1994 publication of The Bell Curve and its controversial thesis catapulted the topic of genetic racial differences in IQ to the forefront of a renewed and heated debate. Now, in [this book], award-winning science writer Harriet A. Washington adds her incisive analysis to the fray, arguing that IQ is a biased and flawed metric, but that it is useful for tracking cognitive damage. She takes apart the spurious notion of intelligence as an inherited trait, using copious data that instead point to a different cause of the reported African American-white IQ gap: environmental racism--a confluence of racism and other institutional factors that relegate marginalized communities to living and working near sites of toxic waste, pollution, and insufficient sanitation services. She investigates heavy metals, neurotoxins, deficient prenatal care, bad nutrition, and even pathogens as chief agents influencing intelligence to explain why communities of color are disproportionately affected--and what can be done to remedy this devastating problem. Featuring extensive scientific research and[the author]'s sharp, lively reporting, [this book] is sure to outrage, transform the conversation, and inspire debate."--Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780316509435
- ISBN: 0316509434
- Physical Description: 360 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : Little, Brown Spark, 2019.
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-350) and index. |
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Available copies
- 7 of 8 copies available at SPARK Libraries.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 8 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albright Memorial Library | 304.2089 WASHING (Text) | 50686015543205 | Storage | Available | - |
Altoona Area Public Library | 304.208 WAS (Text) | 33240004905181 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Coudersport Public Library | 304.2 WAS (Text) | 30183000947190 | Adult Nonfiction | In Process | - |
Harbaugh-Thomas Library (Biglerville) | 304.2 WASHINGTON (Text)
Honor:
In Honor of Gettysburg Area High School Amnesty International, Recipient of the Youth Peacemaker Award, 2020 by Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice
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35740635655277 | Nonfiction | Available | - |
Wyomissing Public Library | 304.2089 WAS (Text) | 35012001469323 | Non-fiction | Available | - |
Allentown Public Library | 304.2089 WASH (Text) | 34455006594747 | Adult Nonfiction 2nd FL | Available | - |
Bethlehem Main Library | 304.208 (Text) | 33062009203341 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Dimmick Main Library | 304.208 WAS (Text) | 304441003387108 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |