A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique
This article examines the way in which genetic « ancestry » tests have been promoted and developed over the last two decades as a genealogical tool, ostensibly capable of finding the geographic and « ethnic » origins of diasporic groups in the US. We follow the case of the descendants of enslaved Af...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Centre de Recherches sur les Mondes Américains
2016-10-01
|
Series: | Nuevo mundo - Mundos Nuevos |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/nuevomundo/69589 |
_version_ | 1797307191292592128 |
---|---|
author | Sarah Abel |
author_facet | Sarah Abel |
author_sort | Sarah Abel |
collection | DOAJ |
description | This article examines the way in which genetic « ancestry » tests have been promoted and developed over the last two decades as a genealogical tool, ostensibly capable of finding the geographic and « ethnic » origins of diasporic groups in the US. We follow the case of the descendants of enslaved Africans, emphasizing the historical context and political discourses that led to the proposal of these tests as a means to repair the social and psychological harm done by the transatlantic slave trade. Furthermore, by analysing the theories and processes implicated in the creation of « ancestry » tests, we point out how they have led to the reproduction of a vision of the world as divided into « indigenous » and « mixed » populations, in which « true » human diversity is conceived of as quantifiable, mappable, and biological. Finally, we evaluate how these genetic concepts are being translated in the discourses and practices of social actors in the search of their ancestral « roots ». |
first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:53:38Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-2ec6d1744d3848cb9e2c9ec8f4513813 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1626-0252 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:53:38Z |
publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
publisher | Centre de Recherches sur les Mondes Américains |
record_format | Article |
series | Nuevo mundo - Mundos Nuevos |
spelling | doaj.art-2ec6d1744d3848cb9e2c9ec8f45138132024-02-14T16:53:59ZengCentre de Recherches sur les Mondes AméricainsNuevo mundo - Mundos Nuevos1626-02522016-10-0110.4000/nuevomundo.69589A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétiqueSarah AbelThis article examines the way in which genetic « ancestry » tests have been promoted and developed over the last two decades as a genealogical tool, ostensibly capable of finding the geographic and « ethnic » origins of diasporic groups in the US. We follow the case of the descendants of enslaved Africans, emphasizing the historical context and political discourses that led to the proposal of these tests as a means to repair the social and psychological harm done by the transatlantic slave trade. Furthermore, by analysing the theories and processes implicated in the creation of « ancestry » tests, we point out how they have led to the reproduction of a vision of the world as divided into « indigenous » and « mixed » populations, in which « true » human diversity is conceived of as quantifiable, mappable, and biological. Finally, we evaluate how these genetic concepts are being translated in the discourses and practices of social actors in the search of their ancestral « roots ».https://journals.openedition.org/nuevomundo/69589ethnicityancestrygeneticsgenealogytransatlantic. |
spellingShingle | Sarah Abel A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique Nuevo mundo - Mundos Nuevos ethnicity ancestry genetics genealogy transatlantic. |
title | A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique |
title_full | A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique |
title_fullStr | A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique |
title_full_unstemmed | A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique |
title_short | A la recherche des identités transatlantiques : des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la société, l’histoire et la génétique |
title_sort | la recherche des identites transatlantiques des boucles conceptuelles au croisement de la societe l histoire et la genetique |
topic | ethnicity ancestry genetics genealogy transatlantic. |
url | https://journals.openedition.org/nuevomundo/69589 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahabel alarecherchedesidentitestransatlantiquesdesbouclesconceptuellesaucroisementdelasocietelhistoireetlagenetique AT sarahabel larecherchedesidentitestransatlantiquesdesbouclesconceptuellesaucroisementdelasocietelhistoireetlagenetique |