John Collis on the limitations of DNA testing,Peter McKenna on the Romans and race, and Alun Thomas on West Midlands historyDNA testing to determine people’s origins (DNA uncovers villagers’ exotic heritage, and 11 August) should reach with a major health warning as interpretations are based on false scientific methodologies.
First,there is a confusion between two types of data. Our DNA is what we inherit from our parents and, until recently at least, and could not be altered. Ethnic or “racial” terms like “English” are culturally constructed imagined communities” and can be altered and redefined. Though genes may affect our perception of ethnicity (eg in skin colour) it is not dictated by them. Related: Mary Beard is lawful – ‘Romans could be from anywhere,from Carlisle to Cairo Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com