About this Event
Family History, Genealogy and “Long-Lost Relatives”: The Psycho-Social Impacts of DNA Testing Discoveries in Mid and Later Life
How do genealogical technologies reshape family dynamics? How do discoveries about biological relatives affect a person’s identity, relationships and well-being? While there has been a significant rise in the number of people searching for genetic relatives using home-based DNA kits, in conjunction with online historical records, archival sources and family stories, there is little research focused on the psychological, social and identity impacts of these discoveries and reunions on the lives of older adults. Join Dr. Barbara Mitchell from SFU’s Department of Gerontology as she discusses the results from an ongoing four-year project profiling the unique experiences of a diverse set of study participants who discovered unknown relatives.
Lecturer
Barbara Mitchell, PhD, holds a joint faculty appointment with the SFU Departments of Gerontology and Sociology. She was educated at the University of Waterloo (Honours BA, MA) and received a PhD in Sociology from McMaster University in 1995. She began her teaching career at UBC in 1991 as a sessional instructor and has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at SFU since 1994. She also currently or has previously served on several editorial/advisory committees.
Dr. Mitchell has published her work in numerous journals and books, including: Canadian Journal of Sociology; Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology; Sociological Perspectives; Family Relations; Journal of Family Issues; Journal of Marriage and Family; International Journal of Aging and Human Development; Journal of Women and Aging; Canadian Journal on Aging; and Canadian Studies in Population.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Room 1700, Simon Fraser University - Vancouver Campus at Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, Canada
CAD 0.00
