ATTENTION: The software behind KU ScholarWorks is being upgraded to a new version. Starting July 15th, users will not be able to log in to the system, add items, nor make any changes until the new version is in place at the end of July. Searching for articles and opening files will continue to work while the system is being updated.
If you have any questions, please contact Marianne Reed at mreed@ku.edu .
A Genetic Point of View: The Effects of Ancestry Testing on Racial and Ethnic Identities
dc.contributor.advisor | Chong, Kelly H | |
dc.contributor.author | Kaiser, John W | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-03-29T16:26:54Z | |
dc.date.available | 2020-03-29T16:26:54Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2019-08-31 | |
dc.date.submitted | 2019 | |
dc.identifier.other | http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:16572 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1808/30209 | |
dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this research is to investigate how genetic ancestry tests can affect personal identity. Forty individuals from the cities of Topeka, Kansas City, and Lawrence who identified as primarily Black, White, or Hispanic were interviewed before and after taking a commercially-available ancestry test. The findings of this study suggest that participants selectively chose certain results to incorporate into their identity rather than accepting the entire test. Group membership strongly indicated the reasons for why participants took the test and how they reacted to the results. White participants took these tests seeking new racial labels to differentiate themselves from simply being “White”. Black participants took these tests seeking to identify ancestral genetic narratives to better inform their Black identity. Hispanic individuals had more ambiguous reasons for taking the test, as some approached the test seeking new identities while others did so to acquire ancestral genetic narratives. White individuals incorporated certain test results into their identity to make them appear more diverse while Hispanics and Blacks subsumed certain results into their identity to better inform it. | |
dc.format.extent | 86 pages | |
dc.language.iso | en | |
dc.publisher | University of Kansas | |
dc.rights | Copyright held by the author. | |
dc.subject | Sociology | |
dc.subject | Social research | |
dc.subject | Ancestry Testing | |
dc.subject | Genetic Options Theory | |
dc.subject | Hispanic Identity | |
dc.subject | Racial Identity | |
dc.title | A Genetic Point of View: The Effects of Ancestry Testing on Racial and Ethnic Identities | |
dc.type | Thesis | |
dc.contributor.cmtemember | LaPierre, Tracey A | |
dc.contributor.cmtemember | Branscombe, Nyla R | |
dc.thesis.degreeDiscipline | Sociology | |
dc.thesis.degreeLevel | M.A. | |
dc.identifier.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0387-7417 | |
dc.rights.accessrights | openAccess |
Files in this item
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
-
Sociology Dissertations and Theses [155]
-
Theses [4088]