The Genetic Construction of Roma Group Coherence and its Interdisciplinary Entanglements

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Veronika Lipphardt
• Subject Area: History of Science
• Term: from 2015 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 277645285

The project scrutinizes current genetic research on Roma in its historical context. It assesses the conceptual premises, sampling strategies and interdisciplinary entanglements of genetic studies on Roma. We argue that those genetic studies rely on practices, classifications and narrations created in the social sciences and humanities. As this knowledge transfer might yield reifying effects regarding Roma group identiy, it evokes the question of racist repercussions in science and society, even if geneticists regard themselves as anti-racists. Since 1921, Roma have been addressed in over 150 genetic papers. After WWII, their authors claimed distance from the notorious anthropometric-genealogic approach: by increasingly adopting genetic methods, serology and protein analysis, and later, DNA ana¬ly¬sis. Nevertheless, the studies reveal remarkable continuities with regard to personal, institutional, conceptual and methodological aspects: In past and present studies, geneticists agree on the homogeneity of Roma, their endogamy, reproductive isolation and having originated in India. By contrast to the uniformity among geneticists, controversy prevails in the social sciences/humanities: Researchers either reject or agree on notions of Roma group cohesion. Critical arguments of those who reject such notions are however ignored in genetic studies. The project relies on methods from history of science and STS to analyze mutual borrowings and collaboration of geneticists with social scientists. It addresses the historical links between the so-called Zigeunerforschung and serological-genetic approaches. The project heightens the sensitivity around issues of classification and stigmatization across scientific and political fields; it highlights ethical and social implications of genetic research. Moreover, it invites geneticists and scholars with Roma backgrounds to discuss with scholars from the social sciences and humanities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants