The Genetic Lottery

A provocative case for how the science of genetics can help create a more just society

In recent years, scientists like Kathryn Paige Harden have shown that DNA makes us different in ways that matter for our health, educational success, and economic prosperity. The Genetic Lottery dismantles dangerous ideas about racial superiority and challenges us to grapple with what equality really means in a world where people are born different. Weaving together personal stories with the latest findings in genetics, Harden shows why our refusal to recognize the power of DNA perpetuates the myth of meritocracy, and argues that we must acknowledge the role of genetic luck if we are ever to create a fair society. Reclaiming genetic science from the legacy of eugenics, this groundbreaking book offers a bold new vision of society where everyone thrives, regardless of how one fares in the genetic lottery.