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AbstractFor more than 100 years, Canada systematically attempted to assimilate Indigenous families, in part by separating children from their families and forcing them to attend residential schools. Non‐Indigenous Canadians are just now learning about the history of Canada's residential schools. Social scientists in Canada and elsewhere, including the United States (residential or boarding schools were not unique to Canada), are studying the impact of residential schools on adult survivors and their children, in particular by focusing on the intergenerational transmission of historical trauma. I propose a contextual model for family scholars to use in studying the long‐term and intergenerational effects of the residential schools: Urie Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory with its emphasis on process–person–context–time. Although comprehensive contextual theories run the risk of limited precision, I conclude that Bronfenbrenner's theory does justice to a broad understanding of the residential schools and their intergenerational legacy, with important implications for future research.

This paper analyses the difficulties experienced by three large European DNA biobanks. The first, Icelandic-based deCode, generated immense commercial interest and intense ethical controversy. As a biotechnology company, deCode succeeded, but the Icelandic Health Sector Data Base failed. The second firm, Swedish UmanGenomics, marketed itself as the 'ethical' biotech company. Management problems including the inadequate recognition of intellectual property issues led to the company failing to secure adequate investment. The third and largest, UK Biobank, has, as a non-profit organization, not experienced these problems. But when the product – bio information – is marketed, the issue of ethically acceptable purchasers could well become contentious.