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Becoming Biosubjects: Bodies. Systems. Technology.
Becoming Biosubjects examines the ways in which the Canadian government, media, courts, and everyday Canadians are making sense of the challenges being posed by biotechnologies. The authors argue that the human body is now being understood as something that is fluid and without fixed meaning. This has significant implications both for how we understand ourselves and how we see our relationships with other forms of life.
Focusing on four major issues, the authors examine the ways in which genetic technologies are shaping criminal justice practices, how policies on reproductive technologies have shifted in response to biotechnologies, the debates surrounding the patenting of higher life forms, and the Canadian (and global) response to bioterrorism. Regulatory strategies in government and the courts are continually evolving and are affected by changing public perceptions of scientific knowledge. The legal and cultural shifts outlined in Becoming Biosubjects call into question what it means to be a Canadian, a citizen, and a human being.
Focusing on four major issues, the authors examine the ways in which genetic technologies are shaping criminal justice practices, how policies on reproductive technologies have shifted in response to biotechnologies, the debates surrounding the patenting of higher life forms, and the Canadian (and global) response to bioterrorism. Regulatory strategies in government and the courts are continually evolving and are affected by changing public perceptions of scientific knowledge. The legal and cultural shifts outlined in Becoming Biosubjects call into question what it means to be a Canadian, a citizen, and a human being.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2010
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June 6, 2021
Did you ever have an impulse to read a book even though you never felt interested in its topic before? I know I had this feeling when I found "Becoming Biosubjects" sitting face up on a bookshelf in the university library, in all its unjacketed hardcover glory with the intriguing title. It's almost as if the book itself expected me to be there to read it. So I impulsively picked it up and began to read it.
An academic work researched and written by a quartet of authors, "Becoming Biosubjects" is a surprisingly interesting look into the ethical, political, and social issues that arise as a result of the use of biotechnology in society. Although the primary focus is on Canada (the book is a Canadian scholarly publication), the subject matter is eerily relevant as of this writing. Certain elements in this year 2011 book are almost directly applicable to the current state of affairs with the global coronavirus pandemic.
On face value, "Becoming Biosubjects" appears to be a complicated book dealing with science or biology. However, it is far from that. The book is all about how the use of biotechnology in modern society poses challenges to patent laws and political discourses out of all things. Ranging from the dilemma of patenting a living creatures (even human beings!) after bio-experimenting them, to the transition of DNA testing from criminal investigations to general society, to the exploration into how biotechnology can be used to protect people in times of epidemics and pandemics.
I understand that people looking for a more scientific approach to biotechnology would probably not like this book, as it contains discussions on the topic from a completely different angle. I, on the other hand, appreciate the route the authors took to reveal the hidden political and social implications behind biotechnology. The book was pretty much ahead of its time and somewhat predicted the current rise in biotechnology in the world health industry.
An unexpected gem, "Becoming Biosubjects" is a great early book on the subject of biotechnology from a political perspective. The case studies selected by the authors will prove useful for research into the non-scientific part of the topic, and they also make for interesting reading even when not used for research. Highly recommended reading to expand your horizons on the way the world will develop itself ethically going forward.
An academic work researched and written by a quartet of authors, "Becoming Biosubjects" is a surprisingly interesting look into the ethical, political, and social issues that arise as a result of the use of biotechnology in society. Although the primary focus is on Canada (the book is a Canadian scholarly publication), the subject matter is eerily relevant as of this writing. Certain elements in this year 2011 book are almost directly applicable to the current state of affairs with the global coronavirus pandemic.
On face value, "Becoming Biosubjects" appears to be a complicated book dealing with science or biology. However, it is far from that. The book is all about how the use of biotechnology in modern society poses challenges to patent laws and political discourses out of all things. Ranging from the dilemma of patenting a living creatures (even human beings!) after bio-experimenting them, to the transition of DNA testing from criminal investigations to general society, to the exploration into how biotechnology can be used to protect people in times of epidemics and pandemics.
I understand that people looking for a more scientific approach to biotechnology would probably not like this book, as it contains discussions on the topic from a completely different angle. I, on the other hand, appreciate the route the authors took to reveal the hidden political and social implications behind biotechnology. The book was pretty much ahead of its time and somewhat predicted the current rise in biotechnology in the world health industry.
An unexpected gem, "Becoming Biosubjects" is a great early book on the subject of biotechnology from a political perspective. The case studies selected by the authors will prove useful for research into the non-scientific part of the topic, and they also make for interesting reading even when not used for research. Highly recommended reading to expand your horizons on the way the world will develop itself ethically going forward.
Displaying 1 of 1 review