S5 Episode 11: The Differences Between Us

Is race written in our DNA—or is that one of the most dangerous myths of modern science? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rina Bliss, sociologist and author of What's Real About Race: The New Genetics and the Future of Racism. With Rina, we challenge long-held assumptions about biology and race, revealing how cutting-edge genetic research is being misinterpreted in ways that reinforce inequality. We discuss why race is not a biological truth but a social construct—and why that distinction matters more than ever in the age of consumer DNA tests, precision medicine, and tech-driven bias. Bio: Rina's work explores the personal and societal significance of emerging genetic sciences. She is Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University and the author of Rethinking Intelligence: A Radical New Understanding of Our Human Potential, Race Decoded: The Genomic Fight for Social Justice and Social by Nature: The Promise and Peril of Sociogenomics. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her family.