HUMAN HEREDITY IN AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE

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DESCRIPTION (Adapted from Investigators' Abstract): This study will explore the meaning of human genetics in popular culture, placing contemporary view within the context of changing ideas about heredity and eugenics since the turn of the century. Drawing on the methods of social historians and communication studies, the investigators will examine a variety of sources, including fiction, film, newspaper accounts and specialized publications. They will articulate key images and ideas about human heredity, interpret their meaning, and thereby suggest their roles in shaping the public response to scientific and technological findings in human genetics. Preliminary work has focussed the investigator's attention on five themes: "blood relations," biological determinism, concerns about the gene pool, fears of tampering with the sanctity of life, and moral evaluation of genetic traits. These themes will be explored as they are variously expressed by diverse subcultures including blacks, feminists, anti-abortion activists, parents and family planning groups, religious leaders, and the disabled. Popular images can lend insight into the social and ethical implications of the information emerging from the Human Genome Initiative. What metaphors prevail in popular discourse on genetics? What images are used to describe the nature of human heredity? What can these images reveal about the diverse way "consumers" of genetic information can be expected to use and interpret that information? These images help us understand the popular ideas that will ultimately affect human relationships, social policies and health care decisions, as well as public receptivity to future genetics research.