Ellis, Rebecca (2008) Rethinking the value of biological specimens: laboratories, museums and the Barcoding of Life Initiative. Museum & Society, 6 (2). pp. 172-191. ISSN 1479-8360
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
This paper explores the shifting values and fragilities of museum biological specimens as they have recently become enrolled in the Barcoding of Life Initiative (BOLI); a global techno-scientific project which seeks to provide the ‘barcode’ to ‘anyone anywhere’ as a ubiquitous species naming device for all species on the planet. The reliance of BOLI upon museum collections for the industrialized high throughput sequencing necessary to rapidly accumulate DNA barcodes, I argue, positions museum specimens in a newly configured relationship with a ‘global populace’ assumed to require instantaneous species information. I discuss how museum specimens, as scientific, epistemic objects are sites of evolving and contested meaning as alternative approaches to the potential (classificatory and possibly commercial value) of DNA barcodes continue to be negotiated within the taxonomic community. As such they are sites of lively and ever-emerging forms of material culture in natural history museums as they speak for multiple natural orders.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Journal or Publication Title: | Museum & Society |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) |
| Departments: | Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences > Politics & International Relations (Merged into PPR 2010-08-01) Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences > Sociology Faculty of Science and Technology > Lancaster Environment Centre |
| ID Code: | 33743 |
| Deposited By: | Dr Rebecca Ellis |
| Deposited On: | 25 Jun 2010 14:06 |
| Refereed?: | Yes |
| Published?: | Published |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jul 2012 17:27 |
| Identification Number: | |
| URI: | http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/33743 |
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