Scholar Series: Dr. Russ Searight – The Institutionalization of Elsie Lacks: Psychiatry, Social Control, and the African-American Community

Psychiatrists during the slavery era described a syndrome “Drapetomia” a syndrome found among slaves – the principal symptom being a desire for freedom.  Others used psychiatric diagnoses to account for the civil rights movement. In his talk, Dr. Searight will explore how psychiatry has been used and misused through American history, often to the detriment…

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Scholar Series: Dr. Rob Kipka – The Village of Henriettas

Dr. Kipka’s talk will begin with “Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” author Rebecca Skloot’s claim that ‘there were so many of [Henrietta Lacks’ cells] they could wrap around the Earth several times’ (p. 238).  We’ll ask if this is really possible and how long it might take to grow so many cells.  Following the mathematics…

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Scholar Series: Bryan Newland presents Blood Feud: The Ethics of Researching Native American Genetics

Our Scholar Series, will open with a short screening of the PBS-produced short, Informed Consent and Medical Research which introduces the issues related to medical research and Native American genetics; following the video, Bay Mills Indian Community’s Chairman Bryan Newland will present a lecture titled, “Blood Feud: The Ethics of Researching Native American Genetics,” that will…

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