Tag Archives: Research

Why all the research?

21 February, 2008

Enough of you have been emailing to ask why I wants to know about lying and DNA testing and race that I feel I should offer some kind of explanation, or several even:

  • I am hard at work building a lie-and-DNA-detecting robot.

  • I was bored.

  • Maureen Johnson made me ask you cause she’s too lazy to do her own research.

  • It’s for my new novel.

  • It’s procrastination to avoid work on my new novel on account of Scott took my IM capability away.

  • I am distracting myself from certain sad events on The Wire.

  • None of the above.

I hope that’s cleared everything up to your satisfaction.

More research: DNA testing and race

20 February, 2008

Than you so much for all the excellent liar info yesterday. I’m now halfway through Paul Ekman’s Emotions Revealed: Recognising Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life and finding it extraordinarily useful. Thanks to Gwenda Bond, Jenny Davidson and Malcolm Tredinnick for suggesting him. I’ll be chasing down all the other leads as well. You are all the best research assistants ever!

Since you were all so amazingly helpful on yesterday’s research question I have another:

Last year (I think) I read at least two articles about DNA testing being used in a classroom (or possibly classrooms) in California (but I may have the state wrong) to demonstrate that no one is racially “pure” and, indeed, to promote discussion about what race even is. The test gives the percentage of your DNA that comes from Africa, Europe, Asia or Native America. And many people get results they’re not expecting. The correlation between your skin colour and your DNA is not straightforward.

I have googled any number of combinations and have found articles on DNA testing and race. Even on DNA testing being taught in the classroom, but not on DNA tests being used to talk about race in the classroom.

If any of you can help with this I will be eternally grateful.