"The Genographic Project"

Paper Summary:

This paper is a summary of "The Genographic Project", a five year long project, sponsored by National Geographic and IBM along with geneticist Stanley Wells. The author explains the objective of the project, which is to collect DNA samples from some 100,000 indigenous and traditional people, map world migratory patterns dating back some 150,000 years and fill in the gaps in the knowledge of humankind's migratory history.

Outline:
A Summary of the Project
Its Sponsors
Its Process
Its Mission and Goals
Its Findings to Date
Pros or Possible Beneficial Outcomes of This Project
Cons or Possible Negative Outcomes, Methodological/Theoretical/Social Problems With This Project
Author's Opinion

From the Paper:

"One of more debatable 'problems' is the lack of a focus on genes, and the focus on migration of 'peoples.' Although it is not specifically ideological in its orientation, the project website does state that cultural preservation is one of its core goals, an the idea that cultures can be statically 'preserved' like museum pieces seems questionable, almost as if it is reducing certain cultures to museum pieces because they are 'indigenous.' Also, the connection between cultural preservation and outlining the genetic and migratory diversity of the human species seems somewhat tangentially connected."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "About the Project." National Geographic, 2005. 10 Feb 2008. https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/about.html
• Butler, Tina. "Indigenous groups oppose National Geographic, IBM project." Mongabay.com. 9 May 2005. 10 Feb 2008. http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0509a-tina_butler.html
• "FAQ" National. National Geographic. 2005. 10 Feb 2008. https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/faqs_out.html#Q1
• "The Genographic Project." National Geographic. 2005. 10 Feb 2008. https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/

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