The way I approach transgenerational transmission is through epigenetics and through working on the genosociogram. Epigenetics is the study of the heritable changes due to the environment (i.e. traumatic experiences) occurring in the reading of the genes, without altering the DNA sequence. (Lehrner, 2018, 1764). The etymology of epigenetics reveals that it is a study on the origins (genesis) and what is added upon the DNA (prefix epi-). What is argued is that experiences of ancestors can be so impactful that have the capacity to affect the genomes of the next generations. The genosociogram, a tool used by family therapists is an extended family tree noting key moments of the ancestors' lives, relations between individuals, repetitions across generations and patterns of coincidences. The genosociogram aids to examine the transgenerational transmission, by understanding not only information that has been verbalized but also these that haven't. By working through the genosociogram one is able to recognize the characteristics of their identity as well the patterns in their lives that have been shaped by the transgenerational transmission. In my research, by building my genosociogram, collecting and studying various photo archives of all my ancestors, and by manipulating them through collage, I am interested in re-constructing the past in order to understand the present and create future narratives. Although the focal point is the reconstruction of the past, it has become clear to me that in my portfolio in the final submission of my dissertation I want to switch the focus to the future generations. What archives am I leaving behind?

this is my genosociogram

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