This conversation can be viewed on YouTube

When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives is the latest book by bestselling author Heather Mac Donald. Mac Donald sounds an alarm about the erosion of meritocracy through “disparate-impact” ideology in science, medicine, jurisprudence, and art. While concerns about civilizational decline are not a laughing matter, Peter Boghossian injects a playful element to this interview by taking on the role of a progressive and challenging Mac Donald to defend her claims. Mac Donald shares her research and views on equity, the scientific method, credentials in medicine and law, colorblind meritocracy, classical music, crime, and the skills gap, all while affably referring to Peter as “Mr. Lefty.”

Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her writing has appeared in various publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, and The New Criterion. Her numerous honors include the Integrity in Journalism Award, the Eugene Katz Award, and the 2005 Bradley Prize.