December
21

Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS) | LaKisha T. David, PhD

12:00pm - 1:00pm • via Zoom

2021-12-21 12:00:00 2021-12-21 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS) | LaKisha T. David, PhD Evolving African Ethnic Identity and Recognizing Relatedness: An Exploration of Identity Development Among African Americans Using Genetic Genealogy to Find African Relatives LaKisha T. David, PhD Postdoctoral ELSI Fellow, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine Tuesday, December 21, 2021, 12:00-1:00p Eastern Via Zoom. Register in advance:  https://upenn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsfu6vrTkvEtQrNrurcKci52ebGP6gUMVQ The meeting link will be provided automatically upon registration. Abstract: African Americans are using genetic genealogy to go beyond the vague estimates of ancestral ethnicities to identify African genetic matches. An African and African American genetic match engaging with one another as relatives presents an emerging situation that challenges our understanding of family identity and ethnic identity. While relatives from Africa share knowledge about their family history and ethnicity with African American genetic relatives, African Americans have new agents of socialization and new information to inform their family identity and ethnic identity. This study uses grounded theory methods to develop a substantial theory on family identity development and ethnic identity development among African Americans who engaged in social interactions with their African genetic relatives. Examining the collective experiences of the participants of this study, participants felt (1) a sense of lack in African ancestral history and (2) an evolving African ethnic identity while (3) recognizing relatedness, and (4) managing many emotions associated with the experience. New family forms are taking shape through emerging African transnational families inclusive of African Americans from the use of genetic genealogy which provides a new social context for family identity development and ethnic identity development for African American adults. For more information, please contact Mary.Pham@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. via Zoom Penn Medical Ethics

Evolving African Ethnic Identity and Recognizing Relatedness: An Exploration of Identity Development Among African Americans Using Genetic Genealogy to Find African Relatives


LaKisha T. David, PhD
Postdoctoral ELSI Fellow, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine

Tuesday, December 21, 2021, 12:00-1:00p Eastern
Via Zoom. Register in advance: 
https://upenn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsfu6vrTkvEtQrNrurcKci52ebGP6gUMVQ
The meeting link will be provided automatically upon registration.

Abstract: African Americans are using genetic genealogy to go beyond the vague estimates of ancestral ethnicities to identify African genetic matches. An African and African American genetic match engaging with one another as relatives presents an emerging situation that challenges our understanding of family identity and ethnic identity. While relatives from Africa share knowledge about their family history and ethnicity with African American genetic relatives, African Americans have new agents of socialization and new information to inform their family identity and ethnic identity. This study uses grounded theory methods to develop a substantial theory on family identity development and ethnic identity development among African Americans who engaged in social interactions with their African genetic relatives. Examining the collective experiences of the participants of this study, participants felt (1) a sense of lack in African ancestral history and (2) an evolving African ethnic identity while (3) recognizing relatedness, and (4) managing many emotions associated with the experience. New family forms are taking shape through emerging African transnational families inclusive of African Americans from the use of genetic genealogy which provides a new social context for family identity development and ethnic identity development for African American adults.

For more information, please contact Mary.Pham@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

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