Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins

Lessons on Belonging from Our DNA

Shoumita Dasgupta

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English

University of California Press
14 April 2025

Genetics (non-medical)

A geneticist and internationally recognized anti-racism educator provides a powerful, science-based rebuttal to common fallacies about human difference.

Well-meaning physicians, parents, and even scientists today often spread misinformation about what biology can and can't tell us about our bodies, minds, and identities. In this accessible, myth-busting book, geneticist Shoumita Dasgupta draws on the latest science to correct common misconceptions about how much of our social identities are actually based in genetics.

Dasgupta weaves together history, current affairs, and cutting-edge science to break down how genetic concepts are misused and how we can approach scientific evidence in a socially responsible way. With a unifying and intersectional approach disentangling biology from bigotry, the book moves beyond race and gender to incorporate categories like sexual orientation, disability, and class. Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins is an invaluable, empowering resource for biologists, geneticists, science educators, and anyone working against bias in their community.

By: Shoumita Dasgupta
Imprint: University of California Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 408g
ISBN: 9780520397149
ISBN 10: 0520397142
Pages: 286
Publication Date: 14 April 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Contents List of Figures, Tables, and Text Box 1. Why Me? PART I WHAT DOES SCIENCE TELL US? 2. On the Origins of Bias 3. The Flawed Premise of Genetic Essentialism 4. Biology of Human Populations—Race, Ethnicity, and Ancestry 5. Biology of Human Populations—Sex and Gender 6. Pregnancy, Bodily Autonomy, and Reproductive Justice 7. Disability 8. What Genetics Doesn’t Fully Explain—Sociobehavioral Genetics and Society PART II HISTORY AND POLICY 9. Contemporary Eugenics and Its Historical Roots 10. Personal Genetic Information, Privacy, and the Justice System PART III GENETICS IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE 11. Who Gets Left Behind 12. Race-Based Medicine 13. The Future of Genomic Medicine PART IV INTEGRATING THESE STORIES 14. Our Shared Responsibilities Afterword. A Call to Action Acknowledgments Glossary Bibliography Index

Shoumita Dasgupta is the daughter of Bengali immigrants, a woman of color in STEM, and a scientist educator and geneticist. She is Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean of Diversity & Inclusion at Boston University, a Fulbright Specialist, and a member of the inaugural cohort of faculty affiliates at the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research.

Reviews for Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins: Lessons on Belonging from Our DNA

""The book is a timely contribution to ongoing debates surrounding genetics and identity. In an era where genetic discourse is increasingly shaping public perceptions of identity, Dasgupta emphasises a crucial reminder that biology is never neutral."" * LSE Review of Books *