[Séminaire - Les sciences sociales en question] When social sciences meet genomics

LES SCIENCES SOCIALES EN QUESTION : GRANDES CONTROVERSES ÉPISTÉMOLOGIQUES ET MÉTHODOLOGIQUES 

co-organisé avec le CERI, Sciences Po

Sciences Po, 28 rue des Saints-Pères, 75007 Paris

Registration

Boosted by the recent progress of molecular biology and genome-sequencing projects, sociogenomics research is in full bloom, exploring to what extent genetic differences between individuals can affect social and economic behaviors and outcomes. But it still is either largely ignored, or vigorously opposed, by most social scientists. Franck Ramus, a cognitive scientist, and Zachary Van Winkle, a sociologist, both use genetics in their research. They tell us about the advantages and limitations of such methods and the epistemological and ethical challenge they represent.

Speakers

Franck Ramus (LSCP, ENS Paris, CNRS) studies individual differences in children cognitive development and school learning and their genetic and environmental determinants. Recent publications: “The influence of sibship composition on language development at 2 years of age in the ELFE birth cohort study, Developmental science, 26(4), 2023 (with Gurgand, L. et al.; “Brain volumes, thicknesses, and surface areas as mediators of genetic factors and childhood adversity on intelligence, Cerebral Cortex, 33(10), 2023, p. 5885‑5895 (with Camille Williams and Hugo Peyre); «Ethique et génétique », Ramus Méninges, https://ramus-meninges.fr/2020/12/11/ethique-et-genetique-2/.

Zachary Van Winkle (CRIS, Sciences Po) is interested in life courses and the socio-economic impact of family transitions (to parenthood, marriage, maternity, divorce, widowhood). Recent publications: "Genome-Wide Heritability Estimates for Family Life Course Complexity", Demography, 58 (4), p. 1575-1602 (with Dalton Conley); "Does Parental Separation Lower Genetic Influences on Children's School Performance?", Journal of Marriage and Family, 83 (3), p. 898-917 (with Tina Baier).

Chair

Nonna Mayer (Sciences Po, CEE, CNRS)

Scientific coordination: Samy Cohen, Sciences Po, CERI, Nonna Mayer, Sciences Po, CEE, CNRS