Introduction: The Ghosts in Our Genes
What if the very foundations of modern biology—the fields of genetics, genomics, and medicine—were haunted? Not by specters in the traditional sense, but by the lingering "ghosts" of colonial-era practices and racial science. This is the central, provocative question posed by Emma Kowal's groundbreaking work, Haunting Biology: Science and Indigeneity in Australia.
It investigates the history of biological and medical research concerning Indigenous peoples in Australia, revealing how colonial-era figures and practices continue to subtly influence scientific questions, methods, and ethics today 8 . For anyone interested in the future of equitable and ethical science, understanding this "haunting" is not just an academic exercise—it is essential. This article will guide you through the book's core concepts and explore why its message is critically relevant to scientists and the public alike.
Unpacking the Core Concepts
To grasp the idea of "haunting biology," it's helpful to break down its key components.
In this context, "haunting" is a powerful metaphor for the persistent, often invisible influence of colonial history on modern science. The forum highlights that Kowal's work does not treat these ghosts as mere metaphors but as a presence that must be acknowledged 8 . These are the legacies of:
- Early Scientists and Collectors: Figures like Baldwin Spencer, a British scientist whose extensive collections of Indigenous cultural and biological materials are now stored, often unseen, in museum storerooms 8 .
- Anatomists: Individuals such as Sir William Colin Mackenzie, an Australian anatomist whose work continues to "haunt the dreams" of Indigenous people today, as noted by Goenpul filmmaker Romaine Moreton 8 .
- Racial Classifications: The outdated and harmful systems of classifying humans that shaped early anthropology and biology.
These ghosts represent a past that is not past; they are the spectral presence of colonial-era ideas that continue to shape everything from research priorities to the very way we think about DNA and human difference.
Kowal's work, as engaged with by the forum contributors, traces how these historical ghosts manifest in cutting-edge fields. The forum's contributors highlight the necessity of attending to the spectral presence of the colonial-era ghosts that haunt the ground on which contemporary biological science, including genetics and epigenetics, is practised 8 .
Spectral Presence
Historical figures continue to influence modern science
- Genetics and Genomics: When modern geneticists search for the origins of human populations or attempt to map human migration through DNA, they are sometimes walking in the footsteps of colonial explorers who sought to categorize and define Indigenous people. The ghost of the question "Where did they come from?" can carry an echo of colonial curiosity.
- Epigenetics: This field studies how environmental factors and trauma can cause changes in gene expression that are passed down to subsequent generations. The "haunting" here is direct and profound. The historical traumas inflicted by colonial policies—such as forced removal from land, violence, and cultural disruption—can potentially be embodied at a molecular level, creating a biological legacy of historical injustice that science is only now beginning to understand.
A Deep Dive into Kowal's Investigative Methodology
While Haunting Biology is not a laboratory study, it employs a rigorous methodological approach common in anthropology and history to build its case. Think of this as the "experimental procedure" for uncovering a hidden history.
Ethnographic Observation
The author immersed herself in the spaces where contemporary biological science is practiced, observing the routines, language, and unspoken assumptions of modern researchers 8 .
Archival Research
Kowal delved into historical records, personal letters, and institutional documents to reconstruct the worldviews and practices of early scientists like Baldwin Spencer 8 .
Engagement with Indigenous Knowledge and Art
The analysis includes the perspectives and creative works of Indigenous people, such as the filmmaker Romaine Moreton, showing how the past is actively remembered and felt in the present 8 .
Research Process Timeline
Ethnographic Immersion
Observing contemporary biological research practices and identifying unspoken assumptions.
Historical Reconstruction
Examining archival materials to understand colonial-era scientific practices.
Indigenous Perspectives
Incorporating knowledge and art from Indigenous communities affected by historical research.
Conceptual Analysis
Synthesizing findings to develop the framework of "haunting biology."
"Results" and Analysis: The Multivalent Affects of Ghosts
The "findings" of this research are not numerical data, but powerful insights into the relationship between science, history, and power. The forum's contributors draw out the multivalent affects that ghosts provoke, brought to presence through Kowal's ethnographic observations and rich archival research 8 .
| Insight | Explanation | Scientific Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Ghosts are Productive | Haunting is not just a negative force; it creates tension that can be a catalyst for critical reflection and change 8 . | Opens up possibilities for new, more self-aware and ethical scientific practices. |
| Spectral Presence | Historical figures like Spencer and Mackenzie are not forgotten; they remain influential presences in museums and scientific institutions 8 . | Challenges the myth of science as a purely objective and ahistorical endeavor. |
| Listening to Ghosts | Kowal's directive is to actively listen to these ghosts, acknowledging their existence and influence 8 . | This is the first step toward a decolonial science that recognizes its own historical and social embeddedness. |
Impact of Colonial-Era Figures on Modern Science
The Researcher's Toolkit: Key Concepts for Decolonial Science
Engaging with a "haunted" science requires a new set of intellectual tools. The following table outlines key concepts from Kowal's work that act as a toolkit for scientists and scholars aiming to practice more reflexive and ethical research.
| Tool/Concept | Function & Explanation |
|---|---|
| Decoloniality | A framework for challenging and moving beyond the power structures and ways of thinking imposed by colonialism. It is the ultimate goal of "exorcising" the ghosts. |
| Ethnography | The method of immersive observation that allows researchers to understand the culture and unspoken norms of their own scientific communities 8 . |
| Historical Archival Research | The tool for uncovering the original sources and contexts that created the "ghosts" haunting present-day science 8 . |
| Affect Theory | Helps explain the emotional and visceral impact of ghosts—the feelings of unease, responsibility, or fascination they provoke in scientists and Indigenous communities 8 . |
The ghosts of colonial science are not merely historical artifacts but active forces that shape contemporary research questions, methodologies, and ethical frameworks. Recognizing this is the first step toward creating more equitable scientific practices.
How might our current scientific practices be unknowingly reproducing colonial patterns of thought and power relations? What methodologies can help us identify and address these influences?
Conclusion: The Future is De-colonial
Emma Kowal's Haunting Biology, as discussed in this scholarly forum, does not offer easy answers. Instead, it provides a profound and necessary correction to the way we view the history of biology. It compellingly argues that the path to a more innovative, ethical, and just science requires a courageous confrontation with the spectral figures of its colonial past 8 .
The future of biology depends not on ignoring its ghosts, but on learning from them.