Anna Tunlid

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Ärftlighetsforskningens gränser

IN THE FIRST part of the 20th century genetics developed into an important research field. The aim of this study is to follow and analyse the transformation of genetics from its origin within an agricultural context to an academic discipline in Sweden (ca. 1900-1960). Mendelism was introduced as a methodology in plant breeding at the plant breeding station in Svalöf during the first decade of the 20th century by Herman Nilsson-Ehle. He was given a personal professorship in genetics at Lund University in 1917, mainly due to his success in improving some economically important crop varieties. This was the first professorship in genetics in Sweden and for long time the only one. During his time as professor, Nilsson-Ehle continued to perform genetic research with close connections to plant breeding. He also founded a strong research school of plant breeders and geneticists interested in more general biological and evolutionary issues. When he retired in 1938, his successor Arne Müntzing decided to break up the close association between plant breeding and genetics and establish genetics as an independent discipline of Lund University. The institutionalization of Swedish genetics can thus be described as a two stage process. In the first stage genetics developed within an agricultural context infused with strong practical interests. This directed the research toward particular problems of great value for society and increased the possibilities for the geneticists to obtain necessary resources. In the second stage the close connection between genetics and plant breeding had to be reconstructed in order to transform genetics into an autonomous academic discpline. In the analysis the concept of boundary-work as introduced by Thomas F. Gieryn is used. As an emerging discipline, genetics was constantly forced to define its territory and border to defend its scientific authority. This was done in different arenas - in the agricultural environment, in the academic system and in society at large - where different characteristics of genetics was emphasized with the overall aim to increase its legitimacy and obtain financial and institutional resources. The transformation of genetics from a practical to a theoretical science supports the idea of a heterogenous scientific landscape in Sweden during the first half of the 20th century, where research was performed in many different contexts and with widely varying aims.

Den svenska ärftlighetsforskningen etablerades och utvecklades i nära samverkan med praktisk växtförädling. Ur denna verksamhet växte sedan den akademiskt inriktade genetiken fram. Svensk genetik blev under början av 1900-talet en framgångsrik vetenskap både ur ett nationellt och internationellt perspektiv, och diskussioner kring det biologiska arvet blev en del av den offentliga debatten. Det var emellertid inte självklart vad genetiken skulle innehålla eller vad det innebar att vara genetiker. Frågor som rörde ämnets framtid och hur det förhöll sig till andra kunskapsområden bearbetades i en process som inte saknade konflikter. Genom att följa hur genetikerna under perioden fram till 1960 identifierade och avgränsade sin disciplin kan såväl den svenska genetikens vetenskapliga utveckling som dess förhållande till angränsande ämnen och olika samhällsfrågor följas.