Genetic identity often differs from the established forms of cultural identity (ethnicity, gender, class, citizenship) or family law status. Over the past two decades, however, we can observe that genetic features have become more and more important elements of personal identity. Genetic testing and genetic screening, paternity testing and forensic identification have emerged as powerful determinants of who we are and whom we can identify with. Advances in genetics have undoubtedly provided useful methods for criminal justice, but they also created new challenges for interpreting forensic research findings in a non-discriminatory way. This paper explores and discusses the current legal dilemmas of using genetic identity in place of personhood in ancestry search, reproduction policy, and in other domains of legal policies, and argues that law should keep the distinction between genetic identity and personal identity in order to avoid the trap of a mereological fallacy.

Our 2020 Annual Conference was scheduled to be held at the University of Wrocław in Poland on July 9-11, 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICON·S Executive Committee has decided to postpone our 2020 Conference to 2021. Our next Annual Conference will take place from July 8-10, 2021, in Wrocław, Poland.
Procedural details regarding the organization of the 2021 Conference will follow in the months ahead.
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