Racial differences continue to be one of the most controversial and vexing issues in contemporary American society. In an effort to promote a deeper understanding of the biological, cultural, and political aspects of this idea of “race,” as Inside Higher Education reports, the American Anthropological Association has created a new website entitled “Race: Are We So Different“:

The project’s Web site presents quizzes, timelines and other interactive activities designed to consider questions on the history of race in America, human variation across the planet, and race as a “lived experience.”

The interactive timeline is especially helpful, as it allows students to track race in America as it evolved in government, science and society. For instance, clicking on “Government: 1830s-1850s,” opens a page that explains how the U.S. and Mexican governments handled race differently after the Mexican American War.

In another section, titled “Lived Experience,” users can test their knowledge of facts and stereotypes concerning race and sports. While the anthropologists generally emphasized race as a cultural construct, they acknowledged that physical variations can be found in different groups.

Kudos to the AAA for creating such an interesting, timely, and informative resource.