Female Biocapital, Technology and the Market: A Multilevel Research Field. Part Two

The human body has long been the object of economic exploitation. Today, technological developments allow for conservation and exportation of cells, fluids, and tissues, which are sold (often for a fragment of their final value) and purchased in a globalized, transnational bio-market. Exploitation of female body parts is a profitable business. Egg extraction, genome editing, fertility tourism, and fetal imaging constitute market sectors on the increase. While key drivers of emerging markets for female biocapital are women’s low status and income, shifting cultural norms and changes in policy regulations also impact on market development.

Applying a complex, multilevel approach to this research field, the session aims to discuss empirical examples of female biocapital exploitation. The presenters will discuss the theoretical and empirical implications of reproductive technologies on women’s autonomy and commodification. Is the expansion of the reproductive market coincidental with an increase in women’s autonomy? Is the feminist understanding of motherhood affected by these changes? What is the future of the female biocapital market?