University of California, Irvine, doctoral student Cristina Bejarano, supervised by Dr. Mei Zhan, will explore the cultural and social implications of recent institutionalizations of public health genomics. There is a growing trend in medical and genetic research to apply genomic science to public health research, programs, and policies. The researcher will focus on the implications of these developments for understanding the changing relationship between citizens, healthcare, science, and society.

The research will be carried out in Mexico, where, in advance of upcoming national anniversaries, a specifically Mexican genomic has recently been announced by both scientists and politicians. The research objectives are: 1) to understand if and why a biologically-based notion of national identity is being promoted; and 2) to examine effects this idea of national identity may have on how Mexicans participate in and have access to their national healthcare system. The researcher will employ multiple social science methods including: participant observation and semi-structured interviews with key informants at research institutions and at political events celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence and the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution; interviews with patient advocacy groups, health pratitioners, and other stakeholders; and text analysis of media and educational materials related to genomic science, the Mexican genome, national narratives, and national identity.

By building on social studies of science and medical anthropology, this research project will further understanding of the relation between science and politics, biological citizenship, and biosociality. The knowledge gained from the particular case of public health genomics in Mexico will advance our understanding of these key themes as well as provide insights into similar processes occurring in other countries. Supporting this research also supports the education of a social scientist.

Project Report

This ethnographic research project examined knowledge production practices in the biomedical sciences in Mexico. Although science in Mexico is often viewed as existing on the periphery of a "global" science, this project found that science in Mexico proceeds through interaction with, rather than separate from, the international scientific community. Many distinguished biomedical researchers in Mexico are active in the international scientific community. They publish in English in all of the top journals in their field, regularly attend international conferences, work as independent researchers at prestigious institutions in the United States and Europe for extended periods of time, and collaborate with foreign researchers. Yet, they often face significant institutional and bureaucratic obstacles that affect the speed and predictability of scientific research in Mexico. Therefore, many biomedical researchers choose to ask research questions that tend to focus on the epidemiological concerns specific to Mexico, rather than the hot topics of the moment in their field. This trend is what often gives science in Mexico a more nationalist appearance. However, the characteristics that often make science in Mexico appear different from science elsewhere are actually the end products of complex processes. The particular case of Mexico demonstrates that the multiple speeds of science have the potential to affect research design as well as the ways in which data are collected, analyzed, managed, and shared. This ethnographic project offers important insights into anthropological discussions of knowledge production practices. In this way, it contributes to social and cultural studies of science as well as medical anthropology.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1024496
Program Officer
Deborah Winslow
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2010-09-01
Budget End
2012-02-29
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$20,000
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Irvine
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Irvine
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92697