Social epigenetics: a science of social science?
Epigenetics has considerable potential to transform social science by embedding mutually regulative reciprocal connections between biological and social processes within the human activities it studies. This paper highlights common epigenetic methods and outlines practical considerations in the desi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sage
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/ |
| _version_ | 1848799118996013056 |
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| author | Chung, Emma Cromby, John Papadopoulos, Dimitris Tufarelli, Cristina |
| author_facet | Chung, Emma Cromby, John Papadopoulos, Dimitris Tufarelli, Cristina |
| author_sort | Chung, Emma |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Epigenetics has considerable potential to transform social science by embedding mutually regulative reciprocal connections between biological and social processes within the human activities it studies. This paper highlights common epigenetic methods and outlines practical considerations in the design of ‘social epigenetics’ research addressing the identification of biomolecular pathways, statistical inference of causality, conceptualization of the environment as a biochemical event, heritability of epigenetic alterations and intergenerational accountability, and concept of time implied by attempts to capture complex, non‐linear gene‐environment interactions. Finally, we reflect on the social epigenome as a conceptual space and try to identify barriers to translation, and practical and ethical issues raised by epigenetics research. In order for social epigenetics and social science to contribute to the emergence of this putative ‘science of social science’ and to capture meaningful human experience they will both need to change significantly. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:30:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-55107 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:30:35Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Sage |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-551072018-09-25T10:45:09Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/ Social epigenetics: a science of social science? Chung, Emma Cromby, John Papadopoulos, Dimitris Tufarelli, Cristina Epigenetics has considerable potential to transform social science by embedding mutually regulative reciprocal connections between biological and social processes within the human activities it studies. This paper highlights common epigenetic methods and outlines practical considerations in the design of ‘social epigenetics’ research addressing the identification of biomolecular pathways, statistical inference of causality, conceptualization of the environment as a biochemical event, heritability of epigenetic alterations and intergenerational accountability, and concept of time implied by attempts to capture complex, non‐linear gene‐environment interactions. Finally, we reflect on the social epigenome as a conceptual space and try to identify barriers to translation, and practical and ethical issues raised by epigenetics research. In order for social epigenetics and social science to contribute to the emergence of this putative ‘science of social science’ and to capture meaningful human experience they will both need to change significantly. Sage 2016-03-31 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/1/ChungCrombyPapadopoulosTufarelli-SocialEpigenetics_SocRev-AAM-OpenAccess.pdf Chung, Emma, Cromby, John, Papadopoulos, Dimitris and Tufarelli, Cristina (2016) Social epigenetics: a science of social science? Sociological Review Monographs, 64 (1). pp. 168-185. ISSN 2059-7932 social epigenetics; biomolecular pathways; temporality; environment as biochemical event; experience; intergenerational accountability; reversibility https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/2059-7932.12019 doi:10.1002/2059-7932.12019 doi:10.1002/2059-7932.12019 |
| spellingShingle | social epigenetics; biomolecular pathways; temporality; environment as biochemical event; experience; intergenerational accountability; reversibility Chung, Emma Cromby, John Papadopoulos, Dimitris Tufarelli, Cristina Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title | Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title_full | Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title_fullStr | Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title_short | Social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| title_sort | social epigenetics: a science of social science? |
| topic | social epigenetics; biomolecular pathways; temporality; environment as biochemical event; experience; intergenerational accountability; reversibility |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55107/ |