Black Beneath the Skin? A Conversation on Genetics, Colour and Ancestry in the Atlantic World.

Drawing on case studies and research from Brazil, America, Britain and West Africa, Sarah Abel will be discussing how genetics, race, politics and memory are coming together in new and thought-provoking ways in post-slavery Atlantic societies. An anthropologist currently writing her PhD on the social effects of genetic 'ancestry' testing upon society in Brazil and the US, Sarah will be introducing new perspectives on the relationship between DNA and identity. Does genomic science tell us who is 'really' black? Can genetic testing companies sell us the ethnic identities of our ancestors? Will new genetic knowledge spell the end of racism in society? And how can the social sciences help us to look inside the 'black box' of DNA?

Includes part screening of "Skin" starring Sophie Okenado.