Author: ATKIN KARL
Publisher: Routledge Ltd
ISSN: 1355-7858
Source: Ethnicity and Health, Vol.8, Iss.2, 2003-05, pp. : 91-109
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Abstract
Identifying the genetic basis of disease is not a straightforward medical procedure but implicates the broader social, cultural and political context. Ethnicity represents an important part of this context, particularly given the confused and poorly informed debate about genetic differences among supposedly different 'racial' populations. Debates about the 'new genetics', however, have not engaged fully with the issue of ethnicity and racism. This paper, by reviewing a mix of empirical and theoretical debates, explores the discursive practices that inform current thinking on genetics, ethnicity and race. The account begins by exploring some of the philosophical tensions inherent in providing genetic testing. In doing so, the paper argues that current debates about genetics are not neutral but evoke a specific set of received ideas and codes of intervention, embodying social and power relationships. The paper then broadens the discussion by exploring the general meaning of screening and counselling for the 'lay' population, before focusing on the process of providing information and identifying people as carriers. The paper concludes by suggesting that the social space in which the 'new genetics' is enacted, understood and given meaning raises generic concerns, irrespective of ethnicity. These include the potential tension between
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