The Book of Life: How the Completion of the Human Genome Project was Revealed to the Public

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Abstract
The production of a ‘working draft’ of the human genome was announced on 26 June 2000 at a linked US/UK press conference involving President Clinton and Prime Minister Blair. This article analyses the politicians’ speeches, the accompanying press releases, with contributions from leading scientists associated with the project and British national newspaper coverage of this event. We ask why research on the human genome has not led to widespread negative reactions comparable to those provoked by cloning and GM food. Part of the answer lies in the metaphors, images, literary and cultural references used in the announcement of this development, especially by scientists and politicians attempting to steer the discourse towards public euphoria. Much of this rhetoric draws on the projected benefits for medicine and health care, particularly ‘dread diseases’ like cancer. Nevertheless some of the print media still focused on the ‘negative’ tropes of ‘designer people’ and on ‘genetic determinism’.

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