Forum B: Biopolitics
B as in biopolitics or: when life itself becomes a resource
‘Biopolitics’ is a collective term used to describe all methods used in society to gain access to human, animal and plant life. Thus it can also be used to describe the ideological and economical appropriation and expropriation of knowledge, resources, genes, body substances and patterns of living that is taking place right now in an increasingly excessive manner: there is an immense amount of ‘biopolitical land-taking’ going on. We want to use this forum to discuss two main aspects (‘Genetic engineering, agriculture, nutrition’ and ‘Health – between market, ideology and the fight for social rights’), that are closely related in many ways, meaning that there will be a lot of cross-references and connections. In which ways and by using which means do we want to oppose the all-encompassing manner in which life is being made into a product – this is the question that will be asked in all discussions and meetings within this forum.
Work groups will address the following topics: Health as ideology; health(care) as a means to social exclusion; health as a market; the human body as a technical construction – Nano to Bio or Bio to Nano; “red” and “green” gene-technology – shared roots, shared aims; genes, money and food – the colonisation of food (world-wide); laws made by global capitalism: conflicts surrounding intellectual property rights.
With: Stefanie Graefe (AK/Fantômas), Klaus-Peter Görlitzer (BioSkop), Regina Brunnett (has been asked), Beate Zimmermann (asked), Swantje Köbsell , Vertreter von Autonom Leben (asked), Susanne Schulz (respect) (asked), Uta Wagemann (GenEthisches Netzwerk), Erika Feyerabend (BioSkop), Martina Keller (asked), Christian Wagner (BUKO Pharma Kampagne), Thomas Seibert (Medico international), Tobias Michel (ver.di/attac), David Sanders (People’s Health Movement, Südafrika) (asked), Frauke Banse, Verena Koslowski, Silvia Ribeiro (ETC-Group, Mexico), BUKO Kampagne gegen Biopiraterie, Klaus Pedersen (BUKO campaign against biopiracy), Ricarda Steinbrecher (EcoNexus) (asked), Emmanuel Yap (former co-ordinator of MASIPAG) (asked), representative of the Initiative Filesharing, Frieder Hirsch, Dortmund, Sabine Nuss, Prokla-Redaktion (asked), Fritz Storim (MAUS e.V.) (asked)
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