Systemic racism can get under our skin and into our genes
Connie J. Mulligan
Abstract
Special Issue - Race reconciled II: Interpreting and communicating biological variation and race in 2021 Many sociocultural factors, like poverty and trauma, or homelessness versus a safe neighborhood, can get "under our skin" and affect our lives. These factors may also get "into our genes" through epigenetic changes that influence how genes are expressed. Changes in gene expression can further influence how we respond to sociocultural factors and how those factors impact our physical and mental health, creating a feedback loop between our sociocultural environment and our genome.
Topics & Concepts
Sociocultural evolutionRacismRace (biology)Affect (linguistics)PovertyEpigeneticsGeneMental healthBiologyPsychologyGeneticsSociologyGender studiesCommunicationAnthropologyPolitical sciencePsychiatryLawRace, Genetics, and SocietyNutrition, Genetics, and DiseaseBirth, Development, and Health