Francisco M. Salzano

Professor Department of Genetics Francisco M Salzano

Sidia M. Callegari-Jacques

Sidia M.. Callegari-Jacques

From the point of view of human population biology, South American Indians form a fascinating subject for study - both in their own right and as representing an important case-study in human evolution. In this important reference on these people, results obtained in a wide variety of different disciplines have been brought together for the first time. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of genetic variability, and the evolutionary inferences that can be made considering this variation. One-thirdof the book describes the extensive gene-frequency data available for South American Indian populations, which were submitted to detailed univariate and multivariate analyses. Each chapter opens with a brief evaluation of the field of enquiry to be covered. A synthesis is presented together with alist of unsettled issues, and an extensive bibliography is provided.

A Case Study in Evolution

South American Indians

A. Magdalena Hurtado

In 2000, the world of anthropology was rocked by a high-profile debate over the fieldwork performed by two prominent anthropologists, Napoleon Chagnon and James V. Neel, among the Yanamamo tribe of South America. The controversy was fueled by the publication of Patrick Tierney's incendiary Darkness in El Dorado which accused Chagnon of not only misinterpreting but actually inciting some of the violence he perceived among these "fierce people". Tierney also pointed the finger at Neel as the unwitting agent of a deadly measles outbreak. Attracting a firestorm of attention, Tierney's book went straight to the heart of anthropology's most pressing questions: What are the right ways to study a tribal people? How can scientists avoid unduly influencing those among whom they live? What guidelines should govern the interactions - economic, social, medical, and sexual - between a scientist in the field and the people being studied? This volume represents anthropology's thoughtful, measured reply to the issues raised by this heated controversy. Placing the dispute within the context of ongoing debates over the ethics of biomedical research among human populations, the contributors to this volume discuss how the interaction between investigators and their subjects can most sensibly be governed. They consider the responsibility of the media in disseminating anti-scientific and pseudo-scientific views, and how scientists might best educate journalists to enable them to effectively educate others. In the wake of what was widely construed as a major scientific scandal, this landmark volume lays out in detail the principles and ground rules of anthropological and scientific fieldwork.

Lost Paradises and the Ethics of Research and Publication

Num momento em que há uma crescente especialização no campo da Genômica, com abordagens cada vez mais específicas e fragmentadas, Genômica e Evolução proporciona uma rara visão holística da área. Partindo de suas raízes histórico-filosóficas na Grécia Antiga, chega às pesquisas mais atuais em evolução molecular, genética comparada, evolução humana e evolução cultural. Uma visão original de como diversas facetas e vertentes da Genômica guardam estreita relação com os mais diferentes aspectos da vida e áreas do conhecimento: medicina, ecologia, procriação, extinção e até mesmo filosofia, cultura e comportamento. Esta abordagem inovadora e holística enriquecerá pesquisadores e estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação em Biologia, Bioquímica, Biomedicina, Genética e Biotecnologia, entre outros.

Francisco M. Salzano

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