***This is copy/paste from the assignment page. Also, the textbook used for the
***This is copy/paste from the assignment page. Also, the textbook used for the class is “You May Ask Yourself” by Dalton Conley.***
In chapter 17, we read about how the mapping of the human genome in science has led to some questions about race and ancestry–our genetic or family descent. Review the video interview with Prof. Alondra Nelson about her research on genetic testing. Alondra Nelson’s interview(https://util.wwnorton.com/jwplayer?type=video&msrc=/wwnorton.college.public/sociology/youmay_interviews/nelson-full.mp4&isrc=/wwnorton.college.public/sociology/youmay_interviews/nelson-full.jpg&csrc=/wwnorton.college.public/sociology/youmay_interviews/nelson-full.vtt).
Then answer the following questions regarding genetic testing and race.
1. Describe at least one way in which genetic testing is complicated for African Americans, based on the interview and what you’ve read in the class.
2. Explain how and in which ways the new research into genetics force us to reconsider the question of race as a “social construct.”
3. Consider Prof. Alondra’s discussion on the complexities of genetic testing in the African American community. How do these complexities apply, or not, to other racial and/or ethnic groups? For instance, consider your own heritage and how you may or may not get accurate information from genetic testing.
4. Based on what you learned in this assignment, would you recommend warning labels on commercially available genetic tests? Why/Why not?
Journal entries should be written in essay form, and will be evaluated based on their completeness in addressing the prompt, in the quality of the writing, and engagement of relevant reading from our textbook (audio and video are not accepted formats for journal entries).