Genetics, evolutionary biology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, history of science and linguistics
מרכז ג’ק לאוב להיסטוריה ופילוסופיה למדעי החיים באוניברסיטת בן גוריון בנגב
Despite many attempts since 1945 to replace the term and the concept of “race” with “ethnicity,” both concepts have continued to play a central role in defining population groupings, though a clear-cut definition does not exist for either of these concepts. Recent developments in genomic and biomedical technology and practice have conjured up old fears of a new, scientific underpinning for racism. They have also ignited new debates on questions related to biology, ethnicity, and identity, such as:
» Does the Human Genome Project provide convincing methodologies that might help answer the question of whether there might be one or multiple biological concept(s) of human race or has the concept of race been rendered irrelevant?
» Is categorization of humans into groups – biological, ethnic,
or otherwise – racist or derogatory per se?
» Can this categorization be used as a tool for developing group-related drugs and medication?
» Is the concept of biological diversity or race an instrument for creating group identities?
This workshop will bring together experts from genetics, evolutionary biology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, history of science and linguistics. They will highlight the core issues underlying the current discussions while underscoring the complexity of these topics.