There is a growing number of companies in different regions of the world, especially in North America, offering genetic ancestry tests based on DNA. This phenomenon has attracted attention in the social sciences, particularly anthropology. In this paper, we present a case study that explores, based on a comparative anthropological perspective, the profiles of three companies located in different countries that commercialize genetic ancestry tests: African Ancestry, in the United States; Oxford Ancestors, in England; and Laboratório GENE, in Brazil. Based on an analysis of their respective websites and materials released in the media, the objective is to use the first two as a counterpoint to the third in order to evaluate the similarities and differences in how they characterize the revelatory potential of their respective tests. We also explore the manner in which subjects such as ethnic/racial affiliation appear in the merchandising of their products and in their public postures. More broadly, it is emphasized that specific sociopolitical contexts influence the manners in which the genetic ancestry tests are presented and justified for their respective public consumers. In the specific case of the Brazilian company, it is argued that consideration of the broad historical and anthropological panorama of "race" and racial relations, as well as the current debates on the subject, helps us understand how ancestry tests are justified and presented to the public.
admixture; ancestry; genomics; identities
