Lisa Gannett (St. Mary’s University) Genome-wide studies of human population structure find that patterns of genetic variation correlate with self-reported national, ethnic, and racial differences. As these studies proliferate, so too does the direct-to-consumer marketing of genetic ancestry tests, thereby fueling the public perception that truths about our origins, about who we really are, are inscribed in our DNA. However, an examination of the epistemic status of group categories in genomics shows that these categories are mired in historical and geographical…

Margaret Schotte (York University) How much time at sea did an early modern sailor require to become an expert navigator? During the 17th century, as Europeans embarked on increasing numbers of transoceanic voyages, the need for such experts grew dramatically. Maritime administrators, naval bureaucrats, and entrepreneurial teachers all proposed different approaches for mastering the theory behind celestial navigation. But how effective was this training? The answer turns out to vary by region, and to be shaped not only by political…

Cassandra Hartblay (University of Toronto) A ramp at the entrance to a Moscow MacDonalds. A hard to verify rumor in a small Russian city that the new fleet of public buses will have access ramps. A well-known bank’s holiday publicity campaign features accessible ATM interfaces. A surge in memes depicting inaccessible infrastructure. Since the advent of the concept of disability access in the 20th century, technologies promising to provide social and political inclusion for disabled people have been taken up…