The Genetic Unity of Humanity: Rethinking Multiculturalism Through an Evolutionary Lens
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70099/BJ/2025.02.04.11Keywords:
diversidad genética humana, mestizaje, multiculturalismo, evolución humana, cooperación, variación poblacional, biología y sociedad, genética evolutivaAbstract
Contemporary genomic research demonstrates that humans share 99.9% of their DNA, dismantling the biological notion of “race” and revealing that genetic diversity is structured along continuous population gradients. This perspective article integrates insights from evolutionary genetics, anthropology, and political theory to argue that admixture and gene flow have been fundamental drivers of Homo sapiens’ adaptive history, expanding allelic diversity and enhancing population resilience. By linking the molecular unity of the species with its cultural heterogeneity, the analysis contends that multiculturalism—understood as an ethical, political, and social project—is consistent with long-standing evolutionary patterns of cooperation and interdependence. Drawing on the work of Parekh, Nowak, and Sapolsky, it proposes that cooperation, pluralism, and interconnectedness are not merely normative ideals but evolutionarily advantageous strategies. The article ultimately reframes human coexistence as an expression of our shared evolutionary legacy, where diversity, admixture, and genetic fraternity provide a foundation for more inclusive and sustainable societies.
References
1. Parekh B. Negociando las diferencias: entre la asimilación, la coexistencia y el multiculturalismo. FORO. 2025;9(6):1–10.
2. Parekh B. Political theory and the multicultural society. Radical Philosophy. 1999;(095).
3. Paz-y-Miño C. El ADN de la humanidad: rescatar la fraternidad desde la ciencia. Edición Médica. 2025.
4. Bergström A, Stringer C, Posth C, Sirak K, Harris K, et al. Insights into human genetic variation and population history from 929 genomes. Nature. 2020;590(7845):200–11. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2559-2
5. Paz-y-Miño C. Desmantelando mitos: ciencia y epistemología para develar la realidad. Quito: Editorial Universitaria UTE; 2024.
6. Rosenberg NA. Human genetic clustering: historical and conceptual overview. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2021;22:1–23. doi:10.1146/annurev-genom-111120-095052
7. Wang S, Ray N, Rojas W, Parra MV, Bedoya G, et al. Genetic structure, admixture, and demographic history of Latin American populations. Science. 2020;367(6482):eaaw5879. doi:10.1126/science.aaw5879
8. Nowak MA. Five rules for the evolution of cooperation. Science. 2006;314(5805):1560–3.
doi:10.1126/science.1133755
9. Sapolsky RM. Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. New York: Penguin Press; 2017.
10. Hernandez RD, McEvoy BP, Quinto-Cortés CD, et al. Genomic signatures of ultraviolet radiation adaptation in ancient and modern humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2022;119(18):e2111124119. doi:10.1073/pnas.2111124119
Published
How to Cite
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with BioNatura Journal agree to the following terms: Authors retain copyright and grant the BioNatura Institutional Publishing Consortium (BIPC) right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.