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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20150416T095400Z
DTSTART:20150427T140000Z
DTEND:20150427T160000Z
SUMMARY:Social Anthropology Seminar - Monday\, 27TH April 2015 - Dr Katha
 rine Tyler – University of Exeter - Scientific reality or genetic astrol
 ogy? 
UID:{http://www.columbasystems.com/customers/uom/gpp/eventid/}y7d-i8jzpdn
 l-80c4a1
DESCRIPTION:Social Anthropology Seminar\n\nMonday\, 27th April 2015\nDr K
 atharine Tyler – University of Exeter\n\nScientific reality or genetic a
 strology? \nLaypeople’s perspectives on the role of genetic ancestry tes
 ts in imagining the ‘indigenous’ past and ‘multicultural’ constitution o
 f Britishness.\n \nPopulation geneticists have argued that innovations i
 n genetic science show that the DNA contained in a swab of saliva provid
 es information on the genetic identities of the subject’s ancestors. The
  potentiality of such technologies has led to genetic ancestry tests bec
 oming a commodity marketed to the public\, including individuals interes
 ted in tracing their ethnic\, racial and national identities. In the wak
 e of the commercialisation of these technologies\, I shall explore how l
 ay Britons engage with the possibilities supposedly offered by these tes
 ts for imagining the genealogical constitution of their own\, their fami
 lies’ and the nation’s ethnic\, racial and national identities. To do th
 is I pay detailed critical attention to white and BrAsian (‘British Asia
 n’) people’s responses to television and newsprint  media representation
 s of the possibilities offered by genetic ancestry testing. \nBy juxtapo
 sing white and BrAsian responses to media portrayals of this technology 
 I do not mean to suggest that my account is representative of BrAsian an
 d white views. Clearly\, such a claim would problematically interpret in
 dividuals’ narratives through an essentialist and politically regressive
  model of ethnic and racial difference. Rather\, my focus on white persp
 ectives enables me to explore how laypeople deploy the logic of indigene
 ity that associates British ancestry with ancient white European pasts\,
  to interpret the implications of these tests. My contention is that the
  language of indigeneity in these accounts combines with a rejection of 
 multicultural principles and a firm belief in the rationality and truth 
 of ‘proper’ science to support nationalist and racist attitudes and beli
 efs. Conversely\, my focus on BrAsian individuals’ reflections illustrat
 es how engagements with media portrayals of these tests provides some in
 dividuals\, at least\, with the conditions to articulate views on the me
 aning of race\, nation\, ancestry and science that turn majority discour
 ses of whiteness\, indigeneity and multiculturalism upside down and back
  to front. \n\n2.016/2.017\nSecond Floor Boardroom\, Arthur Lewis Buildi
 ng\n\n3:15 – 5:00pm \n(Tea and coffee available outside the room from 3:
 00pm)\n\nALL WELCOME!\n
STATUS:TENTATIVE
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
LOCATION:2nd Floor\, Boardroom\, 2.016 / 2.017\, Arthur Lewis Building\, 
 Arthur Lewis Building\, Manchester
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