“Things Are Coming Out That Are Questionable, We Never Knew About”: DNA and the New Family History

Jerome De Groot, Matthew Stallard

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Family history is undertaken by millions around the world seeking to understand their past. This practice is understudied and we need to work hard to understand how it works. Over the past decade family history has been transformed through the use of DNA sequencing to enable genetic genealogy. Through analysing data generated in a number of focus groups with family historians this article contributes to our understanding of family history as a practice by engaging closely with the community. In particular the article considers the responses of family historians to the challenge of the new data generated through DNA sequencing. Looking at the ways in which the practice is changing enables a clearer view of how family history works and how scholarship might engage with it.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)274-94
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Family History
Volume45
Issue number3
Early online date9 Mar 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • DNA
  • genetic genealogy
  • family history
  • focus groups
  • historiography

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