000006095 001__ 6095
000006095 005__ 20250425034556.0
000006095 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.6082/uchicago.6095
000006095 037__ $$aTHESIS$$bThesis
000006095 041__ $$aeng
000006095 245__ $$aWhitening of Milk on Reddit
000006095 260__ $$bUniversity of Chicago
000006095 269__ $$a2023-06
000006095 336__ $$aThesis
000006095 502__ $$bM.A.
000006095 520__ $$aLactose intolerance, a genetic phenomenon that occurs naturally, becomes a controversial topic as some white nationalists make lactose persistence a point of the genetic or racial superiority of White people. This study focuses on analyzing Reddit discourses on lactose intolerance and genetics. It aims to answer the following three questions: Does Reddit discourse on lactose intolerance and genetics expose any evidence of a strong association between whiteness and lactose intolerance? Is there any evidence that reveals the association between lactose intolerance and the feeling of racial inferiority? Is there any evidence revealing that genetic ancestry tests are more like racial projects to support white supremacy? The study uses the combination of quantitative methods, such as LDA topic modeling, word co-occurrence, and a qualitative technique – content analysis to analyze Reddit data related to lactose intolerance and genetics from 2017 to 2022. It finds that Reddit users associate lactose intolerance closely with Asian population and Chinese food is being criticized due to the prevalence of lactose intolerance in Chinese population, whereas European food is privileged. Some users also associate the feeling of inferiority to lactose intolerance, even though the user is aware that lactose intolerance is attribute to genetic mutation. Lastly, genetic testing is often used by some people to prove or confirm their whiteness. This study benefits from using both quantitative and qualitative methods to conduct analysis that requires human interpretation, in the context of social media monitoring on sensitive language and topics related to racism. On the other hand, future studies need to expand the dataset and the platform of data sources.
000006095 690__ $$aSocial Sciences Division 
000006095 691__ $$aComputational Social Sciences (MACSS)
000006095 7001_ $$aJiao, Jieyu $$uUniversity of Chicago
000006095 72012 $$aJon Clindaniel
000006095 72012 $$aSabrina Nardin
000006095 72014 $$aSanja Miklin
000006095 8564_ $$9119bd480-80bd-483d-aab5-840778b8d9ee$$s787419$$uhttps://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/6095/files/MA_thesis_Jieyu_Jiao.pdf$$erestricted
000006095 908__ $$aI agree
000006095 909CO $$ooai:uchicago.tind.io:6095$$pGLOBAL_SET$$pTheses
000006095 983__ $$aThesis