The Case of Desiree's Baby
The Genetics and Evolution of Skin Color
Author(s)
Biological Sciences and Geology
Queensborough Community College / City University of New York
pschneider@qcc.cuny.edu
Abstract
This case is based on Kate Chopin’s short story “Desiree’s Baby,” a tragic tale of race and gender in antebellum Louisiana first published in 1893. Students read the story and then answer a series of questions about the genetics and evolution of skin color. The case was developed for a general biology course organized around the general theme of evolution. It could also be used in anthropology and biology courses for non-majors.
Objectives
- Explain polygenetic inheritance.
- Describe the inheritance of skin color.
- Discuss the “sunscreen” and “vitamin” hypotheses of skin color evolution.
- Write a short essay summarizing the key points in a popular science article.
Keywords
Skin color; skin pigmentation; polygenetic inheritance; allele; genotype; Mendelian genetics; Punnett square; evolution; racism; race; racial; Kate Chopin; Desiree's BabyEducational Level
High school, Undergraduate lower divisionFormat
PDFType Methods
InterruptedLanguage
EnglishSubject Headings
Genetics / Heredity | Evolutionary Biology | Biology (General) | Anthropology | Sociology |
Date Posted
05/21/03Teaching Notes
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Answer Key
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Videos
The following video(s) are recommended for use in association with this case study.
- The Biology of Skin Color
In this short video, Penn State University anthropologist Dr. Nina Jablonski walks us through the evidence that the different shades of skin color among human populations arose as adaptations to the intensity of ultraviolet radiation in different parts of the world. Running time: 18:58 min. Produced by: HHMI BioInteractive.
Comments
Beth Strasser
strasser@csus.edu
Anthropology
Cal State Univ Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
02/15/2011
Wonderful case - Use it every term and students love it and, I think, come away with a better understanding of genetics. Thanks! -----------------------------