The Genome Incorporated: Constructing Biodigital Identity

165 Pages·2010·3.044 MB·English

by  Kate O'Riordan

The Genome IncorporaTed
Theory, Technology and Society
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The Genome Incorporated
constructing Biodigital Identity
KaTe o’rIordan
University of Sussex, UK
© Kate o’riordan 2010
all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Kate o’riordan has asserted her right under the copyright, designs and patents act, 1988,
to be identified as the author of this work.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
o’riordan, Kate, 1971-
The genome incorporated : constructing biodigital identity.
-- (Theory, technology and society)
1. Genomics--Social aspects. 2. Genetics in mass media.
3. Genetics in mass media--case studies.
I. Title II. Series
572.8-dc22
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
o’riordan, Kate, 1971-
The genome incorporated : constructing biodigital identity / by Kate o’riordan.
p. cm. -- (Theory, technology and society)
Includes index.
ISBn 978-0-7546-7851-9 (hardback) -- ISBn 978-0-7546-9680-3 (ebook)
1. Genetics in mass media. 2. Genomics--Social aspects. 3. human genome. I. Title.
p96.G45.o75 2010
791.43’69--dc22
2009049332
ISBn 9780754678519 (hbk)
ISBn 9780754696803 (ebk)
V
contents
List of Figures vii
Acknowledgements ix
1 Introduction 1
2 The Genome and me: Incorporating personal publics 25
3 reality Genomics: dna Testing and reality Television Genres 51
4 Imaginative Incorporation: art and Genomics 71
5 Identities: Incorporating Sexuality in the Genome 99
6 conclusion 123
Bibliography 135
Index 149
This page has been left blank intentionally
List of Figures
1.1 The airship Ventures Zeppelin with the 23andMe logo in the sky
in the San Francisco bay area (photo: Javier psilocybin, Santiago) 3
2.1 23andMe: front page of the website (© 23andMe) 33
2.2 ‘I spat’ badge or button, 23andMe merchandising 35
2.3 23andMe: the spit kit for collecting the sample (photo: Juhan
Sonin, creative commons Licence) 40
4.1 Image of one of the rats in embracing animal, courtesy of the
artist Kathy high (photo by olivia robinson) 85
4.2 people in the exhibition space of embracing animal (courtesy of
the artist Kathy high) 91
5.1 This image shows the omIm entry on Xq28 and the associated
‘disorders’ 106
This page has been left blank intentionally
acknowledgements
The support of the economic and Social research council (eSrc) is gratefully
acknowledged. This work is affiliated to the programme of the ESRC Genomics
network at ceSaGen. In this capacity particular thanks go to professors maureen
mcneil, Brian Wynne and ruth chadwick, and to dr Joan haran and dr adrian
Mackenzie for collaboration, funding, and intellectual support.
The support of the centre for material digital culture and the department of
media, Film and music at the University of Sussex is also gratefully acknowledged.
particular thanks go to dr caroline Bassett, to my colleagues in the centre, the
department and the university more widely for feedback and support. Thank
you also to all the participants in the Biodigital Lives workshop, July 2009 for
feedback, ideas and comments.
The support of the University of California at Santa Cruz is also gratefully
acknowledged. part of this work was written up in the peaceful and intellectually
stimulating environment of the centre for cultural Studies. particular thanks go
to Professors Karen Barad, Carla Freccero, Donna Haraway, Lourdes Martinez-
Echazabal, Marcia Ochoa and Jenny Reardon for support during my participation
in the visiting scholars programme (January–July 2009), as well as for feedback
on my work.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank the many people who agreed to
give up their time, and offered their expertise, by supporting or participating in the
research. particular mention goes to dr mary Bryson, director of the center for
cross-Faculty Inquiry at UBc, oron catts, director of Symbiotica, the centre
of excellence in Biological arts at the University of Western australia, mark
diekhans at the UcSc Genome Browser, professor Ian hacking, philosopher
of Science, Lisa matthews poet, novelist, creative writing tutor and writer in
residence at peaLS, predrag pajdic, the London based artist, art historian and
curator, Brian Whitley managing director of Genomic health, professor andrew
Yang at the School of the art Institute of chicago.
other networks and events to which I owe ideas, feedback and discussion, and to
whom I am grateful for engagement with my work, include the participants of: the
media and humanity conference at the LSe (July 2008, London); the association of
Internet researchers (aoIr) and particularly of Ir 9, (october 2008, copenhagen);
the Society for the Social Studies of Science (4S); the media and Film seminar
series at the University of Sussex (2007–2008); the cmIS Studies seminar series
at the University of Brighton (2008); the Virtually mcLuhan: Theorising code
and digital Life seminar series at UBc (2009); the center for cultural Studies
colloquium at UcSc (2009); the digital communication and culture Section of