Wonder if you know about that DVD called "Race: The Power of an Illusion." One of the three segments is about DNA testing (at a Cold Spring HS, near the Cold Spring Lab on Long Island, NY). It reveals how, yes, the DNA can show what "tribe" you descended from, but, interestingly, the whitest kid in the class and the blackest both descended from the same "tribe," or very nearly the same. Certainly the same area. Skin color was definitely NOT a factor in terms of which kids had DNA collaboration with which other kids. There's often more DNA difference between two members of that "tribe" than there is between two people with completely different skin colors and backgrounds. Overall I think it's a remarkable DVD (all three parts) focusing on race as a social construction.
One of the most interesting segments also deals with how different states and different countries define "blackness" in different terms. That seems to really emphasize the concept of social construction. When one can walk across a state border and change race, well, that sort of destroys the definition. Jack Estes BMCC/CUNY NYC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Burchett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 9:41 AM Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: Sociological insights > > Michael Francis Johnston wrote: >> Hi, John, >> You've got me thinking - I've taken it for granted that my students >> recognize that race, class, and gender are social constructs. What do >> you >> do to make this point at a deep level? And, what are the lessons that >> you >> think your students should draw from this teaching? Do you think that >> they >> should ignore these social constructs in their own lives? Or, do you >> think >> they should take them less seriously in their own lives? IF so, in what >> ways do you advocate that students do so? Do you think that students who >> are at the bottom of the hierarchy should devote their lives to combating >> these unfair social constructs? >> I'm looking forward to your thoughts, >> Michael > > And what do you say when some students challenge the notion that race is > a social construct by pointing out that some DNA testing can tell you > what "tribe" you're descended from, or that some diseases are indicative > of one's ancestry. > > Brian Burchett > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
