A post-genomic surprise. The molecular reinscription of race in science, law and medicine

The British Journal of Sociology
Troy Duster

Abstract

The completion of the first draft of the Human Genome Map in 2000 was widely heralded as the promise and future of genetics-based medicines and therapies - so much so that pundits began referring to the new century as 'The Century of Genetics'. Moreover, definitive assertions about the overwhelming similarities of all humans' DNA (99.9 per cent) by the leaders of the Human Genome Project were trumpeted as the end of racial thinking about racial taxonomies of human genetic differences. But the first decade of the new century brought unwelcomed surprises. First, gene therapies turned out to be far more complicated than any had anticipated - and instead the pharmaceutical industry turned to a focus on drugs that might be 'related' to population differences based upon genetic markers. While the language of 'personalized medicine' dominated this frame, research on racially and ethnically designated populations differential responsiveness to drugs dominated the empirical work in the field. Ancestry testing and 'admixture research' would play an important role in a new kind of molecular reification of racial categories. Moreover, the capacity of the super-computer to map differences reverberated into personal identification that would...Continue Reading

References

Oct 1, 1993·Journal - Forensic Science Society·I W EvettH Roberts
Feb 1, 1996·Medical Care·J A JohnsonS J Coons
Aug 20, 2002·Genome Biology·Neil RischHua Tang
Sep 11, 2003·The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics : a Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics·Josephine Johnston
Feb 19, 2005·Science·Troy Duster
Jul 9, 2008·Health Affairs·Karen SiegelSanjay Kinra
Jul 12, 2008·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Melissa S Halverson, Deborah A Bolnick
Sep 17, 2008·Nature Genetics·W H Linda KaoUNKNOWN Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes Research Group
May 5, 2009·Genome Research·Kenneth M Weiss, Jeffrey C Long
Aug 21, 2009·The New England Journal of Medicine·Tony S MokMasahiro Fukuoka
Nov 17, 2010·Molecular Biology of the Cell·Tyrone B Hayes
Dec 15, 2010·American Journal of Public Health·Arleen Marcia Tuchman
May 11, 2011·Social Studies of Science·Joan H Fujimura, Ramya Rajagopalan
Feb 1, 2012·PloS One·David A ReinhardHeather G Cameron
May 3, 2014·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Troy Duster
Feb 11, 2015·Isis; an International Review Devoted to the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences·Duana Fullwiley

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 24, 2016·The British Journal of Sociology·Des FitzgeraldIlina Singh
Mar 20, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·Patricia Hill Collins
Mar 20, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·John Solomos
Mar 20, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·Duana Fullwiley
Mar 20, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·Jonathan Kahn
Mar 20, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·Joan H Fujimura
May 26, 2015·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Martin Zieger, Silvia Utz
Nov 8, 2016·Sociological Review Mongraph·Maurizio MeloniPaul Martin
Mar 9, 2017·Sociology of Health & Illness·Kate WeinerRichard Tutton
Mar 23, 2017·The British Journal of Sociology·Maurizio Meloni
Jun 19, 2018·Medical Anthropology·Hannah S BellLinda M Hunt
Jun 25, 2019·Social Studies of Science·Anne KerrSarah Cunningham Burley
Oct 8, 2019·Annals of Internal Medicine·John R Stone
Aug 7, 2018·American Anthropologist·Jayne O IfekwunigweCharmaine D Royal
Aug 3, 2016·Social Studies of Science·Peter WadeRicardo Ventura Santos
Jul 5, 2018·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Lisa S ParkerDavid Kaufman
Dec 10, 2019·New Genetics and Society·Adam L HorowitzJill A Hollenbach
Sep 29, 2019·Social Science & Medicine·Laura M KoehlySharon K Davis
Jun 1, 2018·Race and Social Problems·Simon OutramCharmaine Dm Royal
Sep 3, 2019·Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine·Filipa Queirós
Apr 13, 2021·Demography·Sasha Shen JohfreJill A Hollenbach

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.