Jens Martin Gurr discusses Roth's 2000 novel »The Human Stain« as a remarkably differentiated exploration of questions commonly debated under the labels of 'identity politics', 'political correctness' and 'cancel culture', 'safe spaces and education', as well as 'the canon wars'. In addition to staging the debate on these issues themselves, the novel also insightfully negotiates the polarization of American society and politics in the 'culture wars' over these and related issues.