The Genetic Archaeology of Race

[Peter van Heusden]

On Mon, Mar 26, 2001 at 12:15:14AM -0500, Kelley Walker wrote:
> http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/04/olson-p1.htm
> The Genetic Archaeology of Race
> DNA analysis is explaining where "racial difference" comes from—and what it 
> does and doesn't mean. The study of human genetic variation has become the 
> most contentious area in modern science
> by Steve Olson
> .....
> 
> Over the past decade or so genetics researchers have been undermining the 
> widespread belief that groups of people differ genetically in character, 
> temperament, or intelligence. They have shown that all human beings are 
> incredibly similar genetically—much more so than other species of large 
> mammals. They have revealed the folly of attributing group behavioral 
> differences to biology rather than culture.
> 
> But that's not how many of the news stories have read. On the contrary, 
> here are the kinds of headlines you might have seen: "RESEARCHERS FIND 
> GENETIC MARKER UNIQUE TO AFRICANS." "ASIANS BIOLOGICALLY LESS SUSCEPTIBLE 
> TO ALCOHOLISM." "ALL NATIVE AMERICANS DESCENDED FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF 
> FOUNDERS." In other words, given how journalists, pundits, and bigots have 
> interpreted genetics research, people are probably more convinced than ever 
> that group differences are significant.
> 

Yeah, that's what I've been saying. I first really noticed it when I
read some trash in the UK Independent about how men were 'naturally' 
better pianists (becuase of longer fingers or somesuch) and looked
up the publications record of the scientist who made the claim. Basically
all publications were in the journal of evolutionary psychology (which
used to be called the j. of sociobiology), with a smattering of letters
to Science, etc. In other words, this 'expert' was really a marginal
figure, with a publications record which was decidedly ideologically
skewed. How did this wierdo get into print? That would be an interesting
thing to research.

So - apart from the biases within the 'mainstream' scientific community 
(which are bad enough!), there is a substantial bias creeping in in the 
'science journalism' linkage.

Peter
--
Peter van Heusden <pvh at egenetics.com>
NOTE: I do not speak for my employer, Electric Genetics
"Criticism has torn up the imaginary flowers from the chain not so that man 
shall wear the unadorned, bleak chain but so that he will shake off the chain 
and pluck the living flower." - Karl Marx, 1844                 k*256^2+2083
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