Het DNA-verhaal van Vlaanderen (Lessen voor de XXIste eeuw)

In his lecture for the XXIst century, Prof. Maarten Larmuseau explores the question “Who are we and where do we come from today?” from a genetic-genealogical perspective. Or, in other words, where do we belong?

Historical scholarship is currently undergoing a genetic revolution: ancient DNA from archaeological remains and genome data from living individuals with documented family trees reveal migrations, kinship, and pandemics of the past – from Neanderthals and hunter-gatherers, through the first farmers and Merovingians, to medieval urbanization. In Flanders, the early Bronze Age and the early Middle Ages have particularly shaped the current genetic landscape; Viking invasions and the Spanish occupation left hardly any trace. At the same time, deep lines of kinship shed new light on intimate behaviors and partner choices in the 19th century.

Maarten Larmuseau is a biologist and professor of genetic genealogy; head of the Laboratory for Human Genetic Genealogy (Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine); Director of the KU Leuven Institute for Genetics and Society (LIGAS).

This lecture (in Dutch) is part of Lessons for the 21st century. Respondent: Chanelle Delameillieure.