Course Details
Course offered Autumn 2020
HONORS 220 B: The Biology of Human Diversity (NSc)
HONORS 220 B: The Biology of Human Diversity (NSc)
SLN 16130 (View UW registration info »)
Email: hljordt@uw.edu
Credits: 5
Limit: 40 students
5 additional seats added (40 students max)
Tuesdays will be taught asynchronous
There is a broad spectrum of human diversity. However, individuals are often binned into narrow categories related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, and socioeconomic status, among others, all of which carry associated group stereotypes.
This course explores several societal categories of diversity and asks:
1) Do any of these categories have a biological basis?
2) What are the biological consequences of these categories and how do they manifest in inequitable health outcomes, academics, income, lifespan, and other measures?
3) When have scientists played a role in perpetuating or alleviating biases related to these categories and what actions can be taken to ensure unbiased and inclusive science practices?
This course also explores human diversity unrelated to traditional categories, and how understanding genetic variation in human populations can help us answer questions about human migration, ancestry, history, public health, forensics, clinical medicine, and other topics with real-world applications.