This work throws new light on the nature and origins of ideas of racial difference. It reconstructs the evolution of the modern discourse of race and investigates its meaning in contemporary society. It presents a critique of postmodern theories of cultural "difference".

Introduction.- Beyond the Liberal Hour.- The Social Limits to Equality.- The Making of a Discourse of Race.- Race in the Age of Democracy Race, Culture and Nationhood From Biological Hierarchy to Cultural Diversity.- Cultural Wars.- Universalism, Humanism and the Discourse of Race.- Equality and Emancipation.- Bibliography.- Index.

'Kenan Malik has done the almost impossible: written a clear and dispassionate book about a murky and passionate subject.' - Professor Steve Jones, author, The Language of The Genes and In the Blood 'Illuminating, often provocative, and always stimulating, The Meaning of Race reveals how central race is to our ways of thinking and doing, so central that we do not often recognise it as such.' - Marek Kohn, author of The Race Gallery 'Kenan Malik's exploration of the 'race question' is timely and incisive. Read it and be challenged.' - A. Sivanandan, editor, Race and Class 'Malik's aim in this brilliantly ambitious book is to understand the concept of race by examining its social and historical sources...Understanding a problem is the crucial first step to solving it: Malik's thoughtful and thorough account takes us a long way towards that goal.' A.C. Grayling, Financial Times