public debate:
Diversity – a challenge for science
The project “Human diversity along the Magalhães circum-navigation space: genetics, history and culture” participated in the event “Diversity – a challenge for the life and health sciences” which took place on the 1st of October 2021 at i3S – Institute for Health Research and Innovation.
The event was organised by i3S and CIBIO researchers to debate diversity and lack thereof in scientific research. Who is studied, how, who studies and who can access the studies?
The “Diversity in Life and Health Sciences workshop” brought the issue of diversity to the forefront of academic discussion in Portugal. The morning was dedicated to biological and biomedical science about and with diversity, and the afternoon to discussing strategies for promoting diversity in the academic community.
Júlio Borlido Santos presented the project “Human diversity along the Magalhães circum-navigation space” with some of its challenges and questions, but above all some of the experiences and difficulties in discussing the topic of genetic diversity, especially when it intersects with historical events strongly associated with colonialism, and subsequently with the genocide of indigenous peoples and slavery. Similar issues were discussed in the session “Perspectives on diversity in human biomedical research” in which Luísa Pereira, the project’s coordinator, took part.
Especially at a time of polarized debate and attempts by far-right politicians to distort scientific information to justify their ideals, it is a huge challenge to promote constructive debate on human genetic diversity.
The project team’s participation in this multidisciplinary debate was instrumental in rethinking the approach to the topic, so it could deconstruct preconceived ideas and contribute to a constructive debate.