Tissue Economies: Blood, Organs, and Cell Lines in Late Capitalism

by Catherine Waldby, Robert Mitchell, Robert Mitchell

Book Overview

As new medical technologies are developed, more and more human tissues-such as skin, bones, heart valves, embryos, and stem cell lines-are stored and distributed for therapeutic and research purposes. The accelerating circulation of human tissue fragments raises profound social and ethical concerns related to who donates or sells bodily tissue, who receives it, and who profits-or does not-from the transaction. Catherine Waldby and Robert Mitchell...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822337703
• ISBN13: 9780822337706
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Duke University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Tissue Economies

This book offers a highly interesting presentation and analysis of the ways tissues are handled, sold, used and conceptualized. For example blood, umbilical cord blood, cell lines and organs are discussed. Tissue Economies does not only describe the use of these tissues, but has also analytical discussions of biovalue, waste and information. Also the meaning of gift is discussed. The economies of tissues are global questions that are intertwined in many different phenomena. Even nationality and selfhood are at stakes in these interactions. I recommend this book to students of biosciences, women's studies and sociology. Reading Tissue Economies requires some background knowledge, but is not a difficult read.