Setup
Rachel Dolezal is a white woman who has identified as African American. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has identified as Native American. Both women have expressed feelings of solidarity for demographic groups that some would argue they ought not claim as their own. What’s wrong with claiming to belong to a historically subordinated population group? This spring, Rebecca Tuvel published an essay, “In Defense of Transracialism,” in the respected academic philosophy journal, Hypatia. The article offended many, who attacked its thesis and an argument comparing transrace to transgender. The judgment of the journal editors who selected the essay for publication — only to then apologize profusely for having done so — was also attacked. What went wrong? Is there a moral future for transracialism in a world of ambiguous phenotypes and editable DNA?
Explore More
Society

We're proud to announce the 2022 winners of The Aspen Challenge, four amazing teams of young people designing solutions to some of the most critical problems facing their comm...


From blockchain to back to school and virus-hunting to bridging divides, speakers at the 2021 Aspen Ideas Festival addressed issues in a new kind of world—one touched, and cha...





























Following the terror attacks on 9/11, attorney Kenneth Feinberg battled against cynicism, bureaucracy and politics to deliver monetary relief to victims’ families. He's featur...



