Abstract
This paper analyzes the social and political implications of new gene editing technologies (like CRISPR) in the context of reproduction. While supporters - including a group of scholars known as transhumanists - portray reprogenetic technologies as emancipatory tools that liberate would-be parents from the risks of the genetic lottery by allowing them to exert some measure of control over the genetic makeup of their future children, my goal is to complicate this picture. Drawing from research in science and technology studies, bioethics, and feminist political thought, I criticize transhumanists’ notion of reproductive freedom because it: (1) presupposes and intensifies individualism; (2) portrays reprogenetic technologies as gender-neutral; (3) perpetuates genetic determinism; and (4) supports a market-driven form of eugenics. Rather than attempt to liberate pregnant women from natural selection vis-à -vis novel technologies, a more promising strategy involves embracing genetic biodiversity through systems of access and care, thereby ensuring that the use of gene editing technologies is neither expected nor compulsory.
Presenters
Amber KnightAssociate Professor, Political Science and Public Administration; Graduate Program Director Women's and Gender Studies; Core Faculty Health and Medical Humanities, UNC Charlotte, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Reproductive Politics, Gene Editing, Bioethics, Gender Justice
