This seminar will explore Rafaela Granja's work on forensic genetic genealogy. Rafaela's recent publications on the topic can be found here and here.

Forensic genetic genealogy is an emerging forensic technology that uses databases where citizens voluntarily upload genetic data to search for criminal suspects and/or unidentified individuals. In this talk, I will consider how forensic genetic genealogy is disrupting the previously established epistemic culture and regulations of forensic science. Namely, how forensic genetic genealogy is increasingly breaking down previously established national boundaries in forensic science; reconfiguring dependencies between police agencies, researchers and commercial companies; promoting citizen science efforts in ways that require a reconsideration of the boundaries of expertise; and enabling crowdfunding efforts that have the power to shift investigative priorities.

Bio

Rafaela Granja has a PhD in Sociology (2015) from the University of Minho, Portugal and is currently a researcher at the Communication and Society Research Centre, at the same University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of sociology of crime and justice and social studies of science and technology and deal with the technological surveillance of criminalized populations at different stages of the criminal justice system, namely: criminal investigations, electronic monitoring and imprisonment. Her publications include the books "Genetic Surveillance and Crime Control: Social, Cultural and Political Perspectives" (Routledge, 2022), "Modes of Bio-Bordering: The Hidden (Dis)integration of Europe" (Palgrave, 2021), and "Forensic Genetics in the Governance of Crime" (Palgrave, 2020). Granja is the PI of the research project “Electronic monitoring in the criminal justice system: Projected futures and lived experiences” funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, starting in the beginning of 2024.