Identity in the Age of Ancestral DNA

By: Anita Foeman, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Professor Anita Foeman

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Who do you think you are?

No matter where we have lived on this planet, we’ve formed our identities with whatever information has been available to us. Today, with relatively easy access to our DNA ancestry, we have more data about ourselves and family history than previous generations could have imagined.

In the 12 fascinating lessons of Identity in the Age of Ancestral DNA, Anita Foeman, PhD, professor of communication and media, and founder and primary investigator of the DNA Discussion Project at West Chester University, takes us behind the scenes to examine what really happens when individuals receive their personal DNA ancestry results. By learning about their individual and family reactions, we learn more about our own identity narratives as well.

Your results will tell you where your ancestors likely lived, and you will probably receive a chart indicating what percentage of your ancestors came from which parts of the world. But no matter what else shows up in your DNA ancestry chart, your personal lineage goes back to Africa. Scientists have identified the most recent common matrilineal ancestor and patrilineal ancestor of every person alive today. As a consequence of this common heritage, the DNA of every human being alive today - regardless of height, skin color, head shape, or any other physical characteristic - is 99.9 percent identical.

As you’ll discover in Identity in the Age of Ancestral DNA, genetics brings us all to conversations that would have been impossible just a few decades ago. As we investigate our own DNA ancestry, there’s hope we’ll become more willing to accept a fluid identity in ourselves and others. We do have the ability to reclaim the totality of what we are and live well with any paradox - working toward a more wide-reaching American narrative.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 The Great Courses (P)2021 The Teaching Company, LLC

Profound

This was such a good discussion on how identity is impacted by 'reality', aka science and fundamental features of the things that constitute what we are. I almost didn't get this audiobook because of some negative reviews, but I'm really glad I did. Professor Foeman was the perfect arbiter of such complex and controversial topics. She was able to address topics without infusing unnecessary subjective bias, yet she still included insightful personal experiences. She was able to interview polarising people with professionalism and objectivity. I feel like these issues are going to be really important as humanity moves forward. I might reflect a bit more on some of these topics later.....

Drawn-out, thorough analysis, but boring,

Narrator was fine, perfect. Dry, boring, too many words used to make the point. Points were not that surprising or exciting. Very elementary in many places.

A Journey of Human Understanding

So much deeper than I expected, a valuable scientific & Cultural learning experience. Great narration. Thank you!

Oh MY Goodness!! Awesome!!

The speaker is so easy to follow her! She pauses exactly where a book would comma period or new paragraphs!
Love her !!!
This has so much great information. Easy to understand DNA Traits and exactly what makes us relatedness...
Awesome WORTH your time!!
Give it 10 GOLD STARS

Good info

I thought this was going to go a little deeper into explaining dna, but it was still good information. She did a good job of showing herself to be not in the least bit racist. However, she did sneak in some “woke” stuff. Still, not as much as one may assume might be in there, especially when talking so much about race.

Thus was so interesting...

This was so interesting and very informative. I will read and re-read this book many. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

thought-provoking, well narrated, even handed

I'm not sure what I expected, but I liked this a lot more than I had thought I would. The professor was a delight to listen to, the information presented was interesting, and the lectures were well organized. I thought she did an excellent job dealing with loaded topics of race and identity in a calm, impartial way.

I do wish there was a bit more on the science and on where the testing is evolving. Perhaps there will be a sequel!

not what I expected

this course deals mainly with how people have responded to learning about their true heritage via DNA tests. I was hoping for more hard science, but it was still worth it.

Exceptional

This book is a great listen. Professor Foeman speaks with authority in a narrative style about scientifically backed information. Highly recommend.

Not a program about DNA analysis

This program is directed at people who are interested at exploring the data on the relationship between race, ethnicity, heritage and the story our DNA tells us about ourselves.

If you are preparing yourself or a family member to undergo DNA ancestry heritage, or you are an adoptee looking for family, this is a must-listen.

If you want to know HOW DNA tests work, this is not the place. This is a great program but you're going to be disappointed if you're looking for a deeper understanding of genetic testing reliability.

You're going to be even more disappointed if you are an awkward racist outing yourself by using the word "woke" as an insult.