The Order of People: Contesting Bio-scientific Human Classifications

Bioscientific concepts of human diversity and politics of inequality have long been intertwined in efforts to order and classify people. The contributors to this volume critically examine the particular ways in which these concepts are constituted and applied across various national contexts and within different life science disciplines, including genetics, medicine, forensics, anthropology, epidemiology, and microbiome research. By highlighting cases outside the dominant research focus on the United States, the authors unpack the epistemological foundations, inherent ambiguities, and political dimensions underlying key classifications―such as race, ethnicity, ancestry, and migration background.

Tino Plümecke ist Soziologe an der Universität Freiburg. Seine Forschungsschwerpunkte liegen in den Science and Technology Studies und fokussieren Theorien zu Diskriminierung sowie and Critical Race Studies, insbesondere die Geschichte sowie aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Genetik sowie (Post-)Genomik.

Nils Ellebrecht works as a sociologist at Universität Freiburg and Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Germany. His work focuses on the sociology of organization, technology, security, and medicine.

Isabelle Bartram is a molecular biologist and works at the Institute of Sociology at Universität Freiburg, Germany. She is interested in interdisciplinary perspectives on biomedical research and questions surrounding responsible use and governance of human genetics.

Veronika Lipphardt is a professor of science and technology studies at the University College Freiburg, Germany. She has worked on the history of the life sciences in the 20th century, particularly on the history of physical anthropology and human population genetics in their political, social, and cultural contexts. Recently, her research has focused on forensic DNA analysis and population genetic studies of vulnerable populations.

Jenny Reardon is a professor of sociology and the founding director of the Science and Justice Research Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research draws into focus questions about identity, justice, and democracy that are often silently embedded in scientific ideas and practices, particularly in modern genomic research. She has been the recipient of fellowships and awards from, among others, the National Science Foundation, the Max Planck Institute, the Humboldt Foundation, and the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies.