“Human Embryo — Icon of Biopolitics”
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| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The paper is a sociological conceptualisation of the theme of DNA as the specific representation of the human body and definition of humaness above all. Taking advantage of interpretative and critical social theory (Rabinow, Rose, Foucault, Nelkin and Lindee, etc.), this paper examines the narrative concerning the production of knowledge within interpretation of various imaginations of DNA, genom and the embryo, mainly. The idea of healthy life, healthy embryo, like the main theme of distribution the moral, scientific or religious knowledge and agency as relevant, is critically analyses within broader area of contemporary forms of the biopower: questions of race, reproductive medicine and genomic (Rabinow, Rose 2006). Representations of diagnosis (PGD, etc.) of human DNA, embryo, refer to the cultural imagination of genomics in connection with notions of humanness, autonomy and scientific/religious discourse clash. The core arguments are associated with analysis of the representation of the "authenticity" of the individual and social body, the DNA, the genom in the connecting with the legitimization of biopolitical borderlines identification. Interpretation and analysis are concentrated on critical reflection of powerful mythology concerning ideas of perfect reproductive strategies within perfect population search. Particular ethnographical analysis of Czech genomics and reproductive medicine field concerning the popular/emic representations of ethnic dimensions of DNA screening is concerned. |
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