Genomics with Care: Minding the Double Binds of Science

Mike Fortun's book "Genomics with Care" explores the complex relationship between genomics and care, examining how affective and cognitive forces drive scientific research and the relationships between scientists and their objects of research. He analyzes four patterns of genomic care - curation, scrupulousness, solicitude, and friendship - and how they mark where scientists encounter structural double binds that are impossible to resolve but where scientific change and creativity occur.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his groundbreaking work, "In Genomics with Care," Mike Fortun delves into the intricate realm of contemporary genomics, offering an experimental ethnography that explores science as a multifaceted amalgamation of cognition, affect, formal logics, tacit knowledge, statistics, and ethics. Fortun takes a unique approach by examining genomics through the lens of care, a complex composite of emotional and cognitive forces that shape scientists and their relationships with their research subjects, data, knowledge, and communities. Through the careful reading of genomics with care, readers gain insight into how each concept resists definitive definition yet remains intricately intertwined, rendering it inseparable.

Fortun conducts an in-depth analysis of four patterns of genomic care that emerge as the genetics of the 1980s evolve into the genomics of the 1990s and subsequently transition into the "post-genomics" era of the 2000s. By tracing the intricate connections formed where care binds to science, Fortun reveals how these patterns mark the points where scientists are compelled to confront structural double binds that defy resolution. However, it is within these very constraints that scientific change and creativity flourish.

Through his meticulous exploration, Fortun sheds light on the intricate interplay between care and science, highlighting the ways in which they shape each other's development. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the emotional and cognitive dimensions that underpin scientific inquiry, recognizing that these forces can both hinder and facilitate progress. By embracing a care-oriented approach to genomics, researchers can cultivate a deeper understanding of their subjects, foster more ethical and responsible practices, and ultimately contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

In conclusion, "In Genomics with Care" is a seminal work that offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between care and science. By delving into the emotional and cognitive forces that drive scientific inquiry, Fortun challenges readers to reevaluate their understanding of science and its role in shaping our world. Through his meticulous analysis and thoughtful insights, he provides a roadmap for researchers and practitioners seeking to navigate the ethical and methodological challenges of genomics in a responsible and impactful manner.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478020400