The roots of biology are inextricably bound to the politics of empire. Human classification began in service of European expansion, and with it came the foundations of race and scientific racism that we endure today. Contemporary genetics has thoroughly demolished the biological concept of race, but the legacies of this pernicious history persist in our data, our labs and our scientific language. These echoes serve neither science nor scientists, and to know our own history is the first step in fixing this legacy.

The lecture will end with a live Q&A session, followed by a drinks reception in the Lee Hall Foyer.