Based on scholarship presented at a 2003 conference held at Gallaudet University, this collection of thirteen essays explores the complex sociological interplay between genetics and deafness, as viewed by a distinguished panel of scholars and scientists from the platforms of their respective disciplines. Noted contributors include Louis Menand, who offers up a meditation on the value of human diversity, and geneticist Walter E. Nance, who discusses the importance of scientific knowledge in empowering individuals to make informed personal decisions.