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A review by unladylike
Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by Jennifer Raff
5.0
“We must constantly ask ourselves: ‘Am I treating the DNA as sacred?’ We are asking for trust from people whose trust has all too often been violated by our predecessors and colleagues. We must consciously ask ourselves, ‘What assurances can I give that I will uphold this trust now?’ We are asking to destroy small portions of the remains of their ancestors. We must consciously ask ourselves, ‘How will I ensure that this work is respectful? That *I* am respectful?! Whose interests does my research serve? What benefits will I offer in return?’ It is only after we truly grapple with the legacy of our field, interrogate our motives, and deliberately approach our research with intentional respect for the human stories within it that we will be able to see the final pieces of the puzzle of the last great step in humanity’s journey across the globe.”
In this quote at the end of this book you can see the author's core message. When I saw reviews trashing Origin for being too "woke," I was right to recognize major red flags *in the reviewers*. If you are uncomfortable with scientists taking a more ethical approach to work that has historically caused much harm to communities already decimated by genocide, you will probably want to cover your ears during much of this book and go "A LA LA LA LA LA LA LA" or write it off on the basis of it not aligning with what you were taught in high school. From both the text of the book itself and the really valuable interview at the end of the audiobook edition, I believe Jennifer Raff is being authentically humble and sincere in calling out her own fields of scientific research rather than covering herself in trendy neoliberal platitudes.
Here are a couple more quotes I felt compelled to transcribe after finishing listening to the book:
“Once you get down to the poop levels, it’s completely pleasant to dig.”
"'The path forward in paleogenomics will neither be quick nor easy. We are at the mercy of centuries-old relationships and it is our duty to recognize and disrupt those harmful legacies,'” Dine (Navajo) geneticist Justin Lund said in 2021. Likening the disciplines of genetics and archeology to houses with crumbling foundations, he advocated for foundational repair by mending relationships with indigenous groups. 'Creating bad relationships took generations and mending those relationships will also take generations, so plan accordingly. If your work starts and stops in the lab, you’re doing it wrong.'"
In this quote at the end of this book you can see the author's core message. When I saw reviews trashing Origin for being too "woke," I was right to recognize major red flags *in the reviewers*. If you are uncomfortable with scientists taking a more ethical approach to work that has historically caused much harm to communities already decimated by genocide, you will probably want to cover your ears during much of this book and go "A LA LA LA LA LA LA LA" or write it off on the basis of it not aligning with what you were taught in high school. From both the text of the book itself and the really valuable interview at the end of the audiobook edition, I believe Jennifer Raff is being authentically humble and sincere in calling out her own fields of scientific research rather than covering herself in trendy neoliberal platitudes.
Here are a couple more quotes I felt compelled to transcribe after finishing listening to the book:
“Once you get down to the poop levels, it’s completely pleasant to dig.”
"'The path forward in paleogenomics will neither be quick nor easy. We are at the mercy of centuries-old relationships and it is our duty to recognize and disrupt those harmful legacies,'” Dine (Navajo) geneticist Justin Lund said in 2021. Likening the disciplines of genetics and archeology to houses with crumbling foundations, he advocated for foundational repair by mending relationships with indigenous groups. 'Creating bad relationships took generations and mending those relationships will also take generations, so plan accordingly. If your work starts and stops in the lab, you’re doing it wrong.'"