Abstract

The biology of race has a long and contentious history, particularly in theUnited States. Thus, it should not be surprising that the use of racial and ethnic categories by some biomedical researchers over the past 20 years has occasioned heated debate among historical, sociological, anthropological, bioethical, genetic, biomedical and molecular biological circles. Differences between the genetics of populations have generated vastly more controversy than genetic differences among individuals of a particular population (Fujimura, Duster, and Rajagopalan 2008). Contemporary racial categories are largely inherited from Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) and Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, both of whom were dedicated to the ..