SSE Presidential Symposium
Time does not heal all ills: The misuse of evolutionary biology as a driver of modern-day inequalities
Friday, June 2, 11:00 AM Eastern (GMT-4)

As evolutionary biologists, we engage in research and scholarship to better understand the world around us, whether it be the origin of life, its relatedness, or responses to environmental change. And through our mentoring and education we seek to equip our students with the tools they need to also examine the world through the lens of evolution and change. This commitment to understanding change in the world around us must also extend to intentional examination of the historical and contemporary impact of our field on society and human history, even if those conversations are uncomfortable or painful. The history of our field of evolutionary biology includes extensive entanglement with eugenics and white supremacy, and thus has served as a driver of social inequality. To this day, genetic research and the concept of genetic determinism are misused by white supremacists and distributed in the popular media. 

The focus of this symposium will be an examination of modern evolutionary genetic research and what it can, or cannot, tell us about variation, origins, and evolution. Speakers will address issues in three broad areas: i) the historical role of evolution as a promoter of inequality, ii) present-day challenges, and iii) best practices and future directions. The symposium will conclude with a moderated panel discussion including all speakers, who will address questions from the audience.