Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color

by Nina G. Jablonski

Living Color is the first book to investigate the social history of skin color from prehistory to the present, showing how our body’s most visible trait influences our social interactions in profound and complex ways. In a fascinating and wide-ranging discussion, Nina G. Jablonski begins with the biology and evolution of skin pigmentation, explaining how skin color changed as humans moved around the globe. She explores the relationship between melanin pigment and sunlight, and examines the consequences of rapid migrations, vacations, and other lifestyle choices that can create mismatches between our skin color and our environment.

Richly illustrated, this book explains why skin color has come to be a biological trait with great social meaning— a product of evolution perceived by culture. It considers how we form impressions of others, how we create and use stereotypes, how negative stereotypes about dark skin developed and have played out through history—including being a basis for the transatlantic slave trade. Offering examples of how attitudes about skin color differ in the U.S., Brazil, India, and South Africa, Jablonski suggests that a knowledge of the evolution and social importance of skin color can help eliminate color-based discrimination and racism.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Anthropology, Race, Psychology, Sociology, History

286 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Nina G. Jablonski is Professor and Head of the Department of Anthropology at the Pennsylvania State University. She edited The First Americans: The Pleistocene Colonization of the New World and The Origin and Diversification of Language (both UC Press), among other books. Her research on human skin has been featured in National Geographic, Scientific American, and other publications.

Reviews

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea colorism even existed until the mid-90's. I was shocked by what I heard and witnessed working in an inner city library. Truly an eye opener for me as a white woman from the burbs. A friend of mine's daughter was reading this as part of her Master's program in college and passed it to me when she was finished. It's a fascinating book, well researched, and one everyone should read. I agree with another reviewer that this book should be required reading in high school.

[Mesay Menebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, evolutionary environmental adaptation as the fundamental reason to have brought skin color difference is dubious. The core reasoning the book is based upon is just that.

[Stacy-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living Color by Nina G. Jablonski is an insightful and accessible look at the science and history behind human skin color. I really appreciated how clearly Jablonski explains the biology showing that skin color evolved as a response to sunlight, folate protection, and vitamin D production, rather than as a marker of “race.” The book made me rethink how something so visible about us has been misunderstood and used to divide people. The second half, which explores how societies assigned meaning and value to different skin tones, was powerful and at times unsettling, but it helped me understand how cultural biases around color developed and why they still linger today. Jablonski’s writing is clear, thoughtful, and respectful, and she makes complex ideas feel approachable. I finished the book feeling more informed and more aware of how both nature and history shape the way we see one another. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in human diversity, anthropology, or the roots of racism. A thoughtful and meaningful read.

“Skin color is not a racial characteristic; it is an evolutionary adaptation.”
— Nina G. Jablonski

[Vidyasagar Darapu · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a colour conscious world, where human behaviour, culture and beauty products are shaped by the color of our skin, doesn't it make sense to understand what the hell is going on ?

That is exactly what Jablonski does. She answers a lot of questions on colour and race from the biology, evolution, sociology, anthropology and philosophy of colour to pop culture, politics and society shaped by colour

Readability of the book could be much better. So, this only gets three sparkling stars. Kudos to the depth and scholarship of the content though. :)

Some great points from the book:
- Kant was a racist
- India practises sexual selection based on colour
- Bikini was invented in 1946 and tanning can cause Melanoma
- Our perceptions of color and race are shaped during childhood
- Colorism is real. Dark-skin people earn ~20% less in America. (number for india unknown)
- Light skin evolved from dark skin at three different times in Neanderthels, europeans and east-asians
- Light skin fascination is reinforced by societal behaviour and pop culture. Rebranding fair-and-lovely to glow-and-lovely doesn't matter much when all of us, the people of India, continue to be fascinated by fair skin (my opinion)
- The fairer sex remains fair in all ethnic groups because it enables women to produce more calcium that is essential for child bearing

and many more. Go check it out

[Gabriella Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal book! I read this for my dissertation and it gave such a detailed view on the history of how racial stratification came about and continued to penetrate society today. A lot of chapters talked about the dangers of vitamin D deficiency and sun exposure as well which made me want to reexamine health practices! This was a great book that furthered my understanding biologically of skin color as well as understand how colorism and racism are truly social constructs. I couldn’t recommend this book more.

[Candy Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[LeaAnn Carzola-Reiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading!

[Abhi Manyu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Book. A must read for a quick lesson in history and biology around the color of your skin.

[jess !! · Rating 2 out of 5]

had to read for anthro. good & educational!!! but like. obviously didnt want to read it

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

everyone should read this book in high school bio (history?) class. it's essential reading for anyone trying to decolonize their minds, specifically as regards skin color-based prejudice (which most of us have even if we don't realize it). however, the book goes beyond colonialism as well; one thing it does well is trace colorism all the way back, to show how this prejudice goes far deeper than colonialism or western european expansion; in fact, its bases are likely rooted in our DNA, and its specific manifestation has the same source as all of human civilization (the dawn of agriculture). I would've liked more anecdotes, but for a book written by an academic, this was super readable and engrossing.

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is broken into 2 sections:

Section 1 looks at the biology of skin color. This includes what causes pigmentation in organisms in general, how hominid skin compares to that of other apes, the relationship between hair(less)ness and skin, and how skin pigmentation is a balance of Vitamin D vs. Skin Cancer. Above all, the section explores how variation in skin color is connected to human migration - where people moved to, elevation, and how long people have been living there. For example, the author noted that there is less skin color variation in the New World than the Old World because New World populations are derived from a smaller base population and have lived in the Americas for a relatively small time. Another example was comparing the Khoi-San of southern Africa (who are relatively light-skinned) to the recent Bantu migrants (who are darker, as they come from central/equatorial Africa). A final important topic was the relationship of skin pigment to health for migrants - too much sun, insufficient sun, and the associated diseases.

Section 2 looks at the social effects of skin color. What I most appreciate is that while race in the US is discussed, the US is not placed as the be-all and end-all of the skin color discussion - rather, the US is framed as being only one part of a global phenomenon. The author begins by explaining how humans and other highly-visual creatures create and develop visual stereotypes to quickly categorize information, and how these are socially reinforced. They then explore several widespread prejudices, throughout history and throughout most cultures: the association of lighter skin with higher class due to not having to toil outdoors, the association of lighter skin with women and darker skin with men.

From here, the author explores views on skin culture in several cultures, as documented through writings, art, and material culture: China, India, and the Mediterranean world (focusing on Greece, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The Christian association of light with goodness and darkness with evil is then examined from the context of medieval Europe and the Age of Exploration. The author describes how these views were reinforced by the European colonial hegemony over African and Native American populations, which in turn developed into ideas of race and racism. The author then explores colorism as it impacts populations around the world, as well as associated issues like legal discrimination, skin lightening, and tanning.

What I appreciate the most about this book is that the author does not take a 21st century US view of race and skin color as the final word. Instead, they explore not only the varied history of colorism in the US (hypodescent vs actually affording different rights and social privileges to biracial people), but also to the variation in different countries: India, Japan, South Africa, and Brazil. This expands colorism into a global social issue while also honestly explores the diverse conditions and situations in which it affects people around the world.

[Elisa Belotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Anche se possiamo identificare gli altri in base a categorie, non sempre dobbiamo attivare gli stereotipi associati a queste categorie. Le reazioni del cervello agli out-group non sono del tipo tutto o niente, e da sole non creano stereotipi. Uno sforzo consapevole può compensare l'attivazione automatica di una reazione negativa verso un membro di un out-group. Siamo programmati per recepire le differenze visive tra persone e registrare le risposte delle figure autorevoli. La tendenza a sviluppare stereotipi è universale, ma le nostre reazioni agli stereotipi sono culturalmente determinate e contingenti".

[Tegegn]

Nina Jablonski has done an excellent job. This book is a very important document in understanding pigmentations and the associated value judgements in society over the centuries. Perhaps part II can be a quick read for those who haven't got time to go through the whole book. It is in this section that Nina Jablonski brings out more important historical evidences for prejudice. For instance, Immanuel Kant is widely known as having a prejudicial approach, Nina says Kant was one of the early anti-black racists.
Tegegn,
Manchester,
England

[Josh Trapani · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my review, see: http://www.washingtonindependentrevie...

[Jonathan Rosenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating and informative. Great perspective on race, color and identity, all backed up by serious science!

I found it a bit academic at times but otherwise great.

[Jonah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was intersting but had too many simplifications and facile claims.

[Mills College Library]

573.5 J119 2012

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. Much more of a historical approach than anticipated.