Care of the Species: Races of Corn and the Science of Plant Biodiversity

Across the globe, an expanding circle of care is encompassing a growing number of species through efforts targeting biodiversity, profoundly revising the line between humans and nonhumans. Care of the Species examines infrastructures of care—labs and gardens in Spain and Mexico—where plant scientists grapple with the complexities of evolution and domestication.

John Hartigan Jr. uses ethnography to access the expertise of botanists and others engaged with cultivating biodiversity, providing...