ABSTRACT
Genetic interests are in principle quantifiable, since they occur in individuals and groups with measurable concentrations. These concentrations decline in concentric circles of relatedness from self (and identical twins), to family, clan, ethnic group, geographic race, whole species, and even other species. Genetic interests in kin are well studied, but ethnic genetic interest (ethnic kinship) is poorly studied and as a result not previously quantified. Hamilton’s theory of inclusive fitness, elaborated by Harpending to accommodate data from population genetics, allows the estimation of ethnic kinship. Kinship with other members of one’s ethnic group (co-ethnics) is zero if that group is considered in isolation, without genetic competitors. But in fact the world population consists of many ethnies, some of which are more closely related than others. Some ethnic groups are so distantly related that randomly-chosen co-ethnics are closely related by comparison. Emerging evidence from population genetics indicates that in most situations individuals have a larger genetic stake in their ethnic groups than in their families.
