Blood groups and human groups: collecting and calibrating genetic data after World War Two

Area of Science:

• History of Science
• Human Genetics
• Anthropology

Background:

• Arthur Mourant's 1954 book, 'The Distribution of the Human Blood Groups,' compiled extensive human genetic data.
• The book synthesized findings from blood-grouping tests on approximately half-a-million individuals globally.

Observation:

• This paper investigates the intricate process of generating a subset of data used in Mourant's compilation.
• It traces the journey of blood samples from collection to their transformation into laboratory resources.
• The research analyzes Mourant's methods for establishing blood groups as credible genetic markers relevant to human ancestry and race.

Findings:

• The study demonstrates that 'populations' were actively constructed, not merely observed, through public health, colonial, and post-colonial systems.
• Genetic data's biological interpretation was influenced by historical, geographical, political, and social factors like kinship and belonging.
• The labor of subjects, assistants, and mediators was crucial in data production.

Implications:

• Understanding the social and historical construction of genetic data challenges purely biological determinism in human genetics.
• This research offers insights into the anthropology of science and the production of knowledge about human diversity.
• It highlights the importance of considering institutional and societal contexts in interpreting genetic information and its relation to identity.