Genetics and Society

4 credits

This course explores how genetics shapes public thinking and policy on topics like health and disability, reproduction, intelligence, delinquency, personal identity, and race and ethnicity. We will also see how social forces shape genetics research itself, and discuss controversies around gene patenting, cloning, newborn screening, eugenics, and genetic testing for disease, risk, and ancestry. Our discussions and field trips in Edinburgh will help us grasp genetics and society here in the U.S. Prerequisites: upper-division standing; students must apply and be accepted to the Global Seminar Program. Students cannot receive credit for both SOCI 138GS and SOCI 138.