Review of Karen H. Rothenberg and Lynn Wein Bush, The Drama of DNA: Narrative Genomics1
Venue: The American journal of bioethics AJOB

Reading the dramatic scenarios in The Drama of DNA: Narrative Genomics from a humanist perspective, I was struck by their portrayals of the many realms moral, financial, familial, cultural, social touched by health and illness. Such realms are of primary interest to the playwrights whose work the authors examine in their final chapter. In an effort to reinforce the scientific chronology of genetic knowledge and application, the authors engineer a chronological evolution of how genetics and genomic research and medicine have been dramatized by playwrights from Edward Albee to Caryl Churchill to Sharr White. While the book's extensive reference sections serve to reinforce the scientific credibility of their portrayal of the genomic medicine field, this final chapter reinforces their use of theater as a pedagogical partner: "These dramatic narratives are a vivid source to observe the complex implications of translating genomic research into clinical practice through the lens of other individuals" (83) This approach is most recognizable as a staple of medical humanities: the use and analysis of representative cultural products (i.e. literature, visual art, plays, films, music, creative non fiction, comics) to inspire conversations about the human dimensions of clinical medicine, scientific research, and the health care industry. For both humanists and scientists, there are three shared questions that motivate much of our investigations: What should we know? What can we know? What do we do with our knowledge? In the context of genetics, these questions are not just theoretical. They have a direct influence over the scope of research, its clinical application(s) and its reception and comprehension by patients and the general public. The central purpose of The Drama of DNA is to advocate for a performance based pedagogical approach to genomic medicine for anyone who engages its "drama" as a researcher, clinician, health care administrator, ethical and legal advisor, genetic counselor, patient, or caregiver. As the introduction notes, "This book was written with the belief that creative interdisciplinary approaches need to be encouraged to foster a greater appreciation for how society evaluates, processes, and shares genomics information that may implicate future generations" (2) For Rothenberg and Bush, theater is a key interdisciplinary partner because it "bring[s] to life the spectrum of emotions and challenges that envelop genomics" (2) Over the past 50 years, genetics as a field has enjoyed perhaps the most swift and rapid assent to Holy Grail status (or, given the genetic language of codes, perhaps Rosetta Stone is a more apt metaphor) Genomic medicine is hailed as the key to unlocking not only the identity of, but also the effective treatment for, a multitude of illnesses and conditions. Genetics is archeological, tracing the ancestral, geographic, and evolutionary lineage of humans as a species down to our central organizing unit of the family. Genetics is also anthropological, framing the cultural effects and contexts of said lineages, the expression and experience of our physical selves as unique and individual yet belonging to various social groups with a variety of cultural expressions. In this way, there is inherent dramatic potential in an individual's pursuit of genetic testing in an effort to uncover his or her "origins" and the current or potential nonnormative elements that may (or may not) influence the life course and the lives of other family members. As the authors potently illustrate, an individual or family embarks on a genetic journey with researchers and clinicians, themselves chasing discoveries and outcomes that will make their careers and affect their lives. What they find might be more than any of them expected or are prepared to navigate. The book's subtitle, Narrative Genomics, refers to the book's centerpiece: dramatic scenarios that offer researchers, clinicians, and counselors a chance to explore the complex human dynamics and ethical dimensions as genetic tests reveal complicated results. Those scenarios are