Scrutinizing the epigenetics revolution

Epigenetics is one of the most rapidly expanding fields in the life sciences. Its rise is
frequently framed as a revolutionary turn that heralds a new epoch both for gene-based epistemology
and for the wider discourse on life that pervades knowledge-intensive societies of the
molecular age. The fundamentals of this revolution remain however to be scrutinized, and indeed
the very contours of what counts as ‘epigenetic’ are often blurred. This is reflected also in the
mounting discourse on the societal implications of epigenetics, in which vast expectations coexist
with significant uncertainty about what aspects of this science are most relevant for politics or
policy alike. This is therefore a suitable time to reflect on the directions that social theory could
most productively take in the scrutiny of this revolution. Here we take this opportunity in both its
scholarly and normative dimension, that is, proposing a roadmap for social theorizing on epigenetics
that does not shy away from, and indeed hopefully guides, the framing of its most socially
relevant outputs. To this end, we start with an epistemological reappraisal of epigenetic discourse
that valorizes the blurring of meanings as a critical asset for the field and privileged analytical entry
point. We then propose three paths of investigation. The first looks at the structuring elements of
controversies and visions around epigenetics. The second probes the mutual constitution between
the epigenetic reordering of living phenomena and the normative settlements that orient individual
and collective responsibilities. The third highlights the material import of epigenetics and the
molecularization of culture that it mediates. We suggest that these complementary strands provide
both an epistemically and socially self-reflective framework to advance the study of epigenetics as
a molecular juncture between nature and nurture and thus as the new critical frontier in the social
studies of the life sciences.