Biomedicalisation of reproduction within contemporary societies has made room for isolation and technological control of different stages of the human reproductive process. Gametes, embryos, foetuses, umbilical cord and breast milk have multiple chances of escaping a given reproductive path and of taking different trajectories. Such an event does not necessarily mean their social and cultural disappearance. Moreover, reproductive biotechnologies invite medical professionals –e.g. physicians and biologists- and unusual “patients” – donors and surrogates- to inhabit and serve reproductive processes at specific stages.

This panel aims at exploring the trajectories through which reproductive biomedicalisation produces experiences of “derivation”, “translation”, “re-introduction”, “superproduction”, “transformation” and “destruction” and “lateral relationship”.

Spare embryos, surrogacy, embryo stem cells, cell banks, egg-sharing, cryopreservation, egg-freezing, treatment of early preterm babies are some of the phenomena challenging the biological, temporal, cultural, ethical and socio-economic limits which were until very recently deemed unquestionable. This panel invites a discussion about the many biomedical reproductive practices and objects which are often approached as the search for, consolidation of or deviation from a specific heteronormative dyadic family model and which seem to rather suggest the emergence of a multiplicity of practices which sprout, develop and expand within, around and beyond kinship.

http://nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2016/panels.php5?PanelID=4085  

Convenors

• Giulia Zanini (University of Padova)
• Noémie Merleau-Ponty (Massachussetts Institute of Technology)

Submission guidelines 

Abstract submission deadline 15^th of February 2016.

To submit a paper, please go on the EASA website following this link :http://nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2016/paperproposal.php5?PanelID=4181