Biotechnology, education and life politics : debating genetic futures from school to society / Padraig Murphy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Murphy, Pádraig, author.

Series:

Routledge research in education.

Routledge Research in Education

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biotechnology--Study and teaching.

Biotechnology.

Biotechnology--Moral and ethical aspects.

Bioethics.

Biology--Study and teaching--History--21st century.

Biology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (209 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York, N.Y. : Routledge, 2014.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"What should individuals and society do when genetic screening becomes widely available and with its impact on current and future generations still uncertain? How can our education systems around the world respond to these developments? Reproductive and genetic technologies (RGTs) are increasingly controversial and political. We are entering an era where we can design future humans, firstly, by genetic screening of "undesirable" traits or indeed embryos, but perhaps later by more radical genetic engineering. This has a profound effect on what we see as normal, acceptable and responsible. This book argues that these urgent and biopolitical issues should be central to how biology is taught as a subject. Debate about life itself has always been at the forefront of connected molecular, genetic and social/personal identity levels, and each of these levels requires processes of communication and debate, what Anthony Giddens called in passing life politics. In this book Padraig Murphy opens the term up, with examples from field research in schools, student responses to educational films exploring the future of RGTs, and science studies of strategic biotechnology and the lab practices of genetic screening. Life political debate is thoroughly examined and is identified as a way of connecting mainstream education of biology with future generations. Biotechnology, Education and Life Politics will appeal to post-graduates and academics involved with science education, science communication, communication studies and the sociology of education"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover; Half Title; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; List of tables; Preface; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations and glossary; 1 Introduction: Biopolitical control and the possibilities for life political education; Healing or enhancing with reproductive and genetic technologies (RGTs)?; Healing or enhancement: is there a difference?; Healing or enhancement: how do we teach about them?; Healing or enhancement: how do we govern with them?; The workshop sessions; The structure of the remainder of this book; 2 Biopolitics and state in education

Biopolitical control: the influence of the bio-orators in historyThe cultural salience of the 'gene for'; Science, state and schooling: the biosciences' impact on twentieth- and twenty-first-century education in Europe and the US; Outreaching for the body; 3 Biopinion; What is 'opinion'? Why does it matter (to science)?; Argumentation and opinion: political and philosophical theories for biology pedagogy; Anthony Giddens and Bruno Latour: witnessing and mediation; 4 Future scripts and present bodies; Positioning and performativity: bodies in trouble

Snapshots of locales and spheres: media and science fiction in informal educationSnapshots of sites: the schools and participants in The Gift sessions; ND, North Dublin; SD, South Dublin; NDC, North Dublin city centre; LH, Louth; SK, South Kildare; SW, South Wicklow; The bioscientist presenters; Summary; 5 The bios in education; The biology curriculum; Pedagogy: belief, believing and making belief; How science studies STS can inform science education STS; Debate in a life political curriculum; 6 'Political' science and framing: An education from media; 'Framing' 'science'

Frames, framings and positioning in media debatesA living Likert: choosing positions of agreement on film characters' decisions; The troll; Summary; 7 Nine genetic futures; 'Modern Progress'; 'Harmony with bifurcated nature'; 'Fortuna/fate'; 'Parent/patient autonomy'; 'Sacred embryo'; 'Future child'; 'Future humanity'; 'Commodification'; 'Pandora's slippery runaway'; 8 Life politics; Bioscience and choice; Public opinion or popular wisdom?; Ethics or practical good?; Humanity: so what is the human and what can she be?; A critical classroom speaks to future parliament

Appendix: Wellcome Trust film debate activitiesBibliography; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-134-59292-2

1-138-63740-8

1-315-88688-X

1-134-59285-X

9781315886886

OCLC:

879244174