The Limits of Diversity In Science

In this chapter we analyze downsides and trade-offs of the aim of diversity and inclusion in science. In biomedical research, diversity is often linked to the epistemic goal of completeness, especially of creating complete databases of various populations. While this aim promises to solve data gaps relevant for medical challenges, it also faces trade-offs. It does not necessarily improve explanations and can lead to ethical problems like harmful stereotypes, data extractivism, and invasive sampling. To address these problems, we argue for focusing not on global but on local aims, local knowers, and local diversity to achieve inclusion in a meaningful way and to better address health challenges. We will draw on a case study of human microbiome research to develop these points. Readers may be interested in these Handbook chapters as well: Robyn Bluhm, “‘Every Cell has a Sex’: Sex Essentialism in Biomedical Research”; Kirstin Borgerson, “Critical Contextual Empiricism”; Juliana Gutiérrez Valderrama, “Values in Global Science and the Relevance of Geographic Diversity.”