The Social Life of DNA

DNA testing isn't just for crime shows. Tracing genealogy and genetic ancestry has become increasingly popular in this country, particularly among African Americans. In her recent book The Social Life of DNA, Alondra Nelson, a sociologist at Columbia University and the President of the Social Science Research Council, explains how cutting-edge techniques are being used to grapple with the unfinished business of slavery, foster reconciliation, establish ties with ancestral homelands, and more. Hear about the mix of race, science, history, and how reckoning with the past can help chart a more just course for tomorrow.

This program is presented in partnership with the Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University.

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