Archaeogenetics in Popular Media: Contemporary Implications of Ancient DNA

If most academic debates surrounding the recent boom of ancient DNA (aDNA) so far have concerned conflicting research epistemologies, this article is a call for taking aspects of media and communication more seriously. Analyzing the fates of two recent research papers on Viking Age Scandinavia, we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current Swedish Archaeology
Main Authors: Anna Källén, Charlotte Mulcare, Andreas Nyblom, Daniel Strand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet 2019-12-01
Subjects:
Genetics
aDNA
communication of science
mediatization
Viking
female warrior
Online Access:https://193.10.12.85:443/csa/article/view/88
Description
Summary:If most academic debates surrounding the recent boom of ancient DNA (aDNA) so far have concerned conflicting research epistemologies, this article is a call for taking aspects of media and communication more seriously. Analyzing the fates of two recent research papers on Viking Age Scandinavia, we show how aDNA research is communicated, narrated and infused with meaning in the public sphere, particularly in relation to popular narratives and political debates. We observe significant interlacing of scientific, political and media discourses in and around the papers, and conclude that archaeogenetics is a highly mediatized scientific field.
ISSN:1102-7355
2002-3901

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