Like virtually all science fiction novels in which humanity contacts and exploits a less advanced alien civilization, A Case of Conscience can be read as a critique of the West's attitude towards the Third World. The Lithia Commission's very serious purpose is to decide the fate of Human-Lithian relations for decades to come, and they have supposedly been carefully chosen to make that decision. Readers quickly discover, however, that at least two of the four Commissioners are out and out bigots who refuse even to learn the Lithian language and whose primary interest appears to be the discovery of ways in which Earth can exploit the planet. Further, all four men are scientists by training. The exclusion of even one commission member trained in diplomacy, anthropology, or sociology — since it is implied that Ruiz-Sanchez's priesthood is incidental to his choice as Commission biologist — is...