*- Final Call for Applications -*
Closing date: extended to *26 July 2009*
* *
© bpk / Gemäldegalerie, SMB / Jörg P. Anders
ESF-LiU Conference*
**The Perfect Body:
between Normativity and Consumerism***
Scandic Linköping Väst, Linköping, Sweden
*9-13 October 2009*
www.esf.org/conferences/09273 <http://www.esf.org/conferences/09273>**
* *
Chaired by: *Katrin Grüber* - IMEW, DE & *Ursula Naue* - LSG, AT
Enhancement, paraphrased as the improvement of desired characteristics,
means to apply a certain focus on abilities, capacities and quality of
life. These categories can be viewed and defined from different
value-driven perspectives which are based upon certain viewpoints on
what constitutes “normality”. Furthermore they are framed by the concept
of autonomy. The general approach towards the issue of enhancement can
be understood in the context of consumerism – the “production” of
enhanced persons as an act of individual freedom and choice. But another
approach, which will be the main focus of the conference, is based upon
the fact that perspectives of disabled persons on enhancement have been
neglected so far. This is important as enhancement technologies can have
different societal and political implications for disabled and
non-disabled persons. The discussion about enhancement focuses on
therapy of something in need of treatment. But with regard to
disability, this debate about enhancement in contrast to therapy and
treatment has to be re-thought and re-contextualised.
Hence, the conference takes as its starting point the view that it is
socio-politically as well as ethically necessary and important to look
at enhancement technologies from a “disability-perspective”. In the
context of historic developments and the intersection of medicine and
economy, enhancement technologies will be discussed from several
different scientific perspectives. The conference is organised as an
interdisciplinary dialogue and aims to provide an open forum for
discussion and networking. This approach towards enhancement
technologies is necessary, as the field of enhancement is an
increasingly important area of intervention into life and the body. The
conference will be the first international meeting to bring together
Disability Studies, Science, Technology and Society Studies and Ethics.
The following are some of the questions that will be discussed: § To
what extent and in what way does consumerism influence the current
debate about enhancement technologies? § Which problems arise from this
understanding of enhancement technologies for disabled and non-disabled
persons and consumers of these technologies? § What are the consequences
of enhancement technologies for disabled persons? § Is the “upgrade” an
upgrade from old established norms or is a “new normal body” created? §
Who is excluded by both starting points of enhancing the human being? §
Do enhancement technologies carry a risk of excluding certain groups
within society, such as disabled persons? § How can consumerism be
embedded in an ethical framework? § What role does normativity play? §
What new possible forms of exclusion and inequality on several levels
might occur as a result of using enhancement technologies?
Questions such as these make it quite clear that the conference is a
necessary and important way of approaching enhancement technologies that
already have implications for both human beings and for society.
Invited Speakers will include:
· *Michael Bury* - RHUL London., UK
/Another look at the body/
· *Inez*/ /*DE BEAUFORT*/ /- Erasmus MC, NL/ *^tbc */
· *Barbara* *Duden* - Hannover U., DE
/Never good enough? The "body" between normativity and consumerism/
· *Marcus* *Düwell* - Utrecht U., NL
/Liberal Societies and the Moral Evaluation of Human Capacities: Ethical
presuppositions in the Enhancement-debate/
· *Jennifer* *Fishman* - McGill U. Montreal, CA
/Anti-aging therapies/
· *Joakim* *Isaksson* - Umeå U., SE
/Normality and deviance/
· *Rosemarie* *Garland-Thomson *- Emory U., US
/Picturing// Disability/
· *Katrin* *Grüber* - IMEW, DE
/Cochlea implant as a case study for promises and expectations/
· *Robin* *Mackenzie* - Kent U., UK
/Whose body's perfect? Who decides? Disability, enhancement,
rehabilitation and transableism/
· *Judit* *Sandor* - CEU Budapest, HU
· *Silke Schicktanz - *UMG Göttingen, DE*
*/Morality and Perspectivism in the Therapy-Enhancement-Distinction/**
· *Frida Simonstein - *Yezreel Valley College, IL*
*/Reprogenetics, enhancing and the invisible vessel/**
· *Jackie Leach Scully - *Newcastle U., UK*
*/This is how I am: Bodies, difference, and identity/**
· *Bertrand Tondu - *Toulouse U., FR*
*/Cyborgs and Humanoid Robots: Myth and Reality/**
· *Simo Vehmas - *Jyväskylä U., SF*
*/Dimensions of disability/**
· *Paul Verschure - *U. Pompeu Fabra, ES*
*/How to Build a Cyborg/**
· *Anne Waldschmidt - *Cologne U., DE*
*/Body, power, difference - reflections about normativity, normality and
disability/**
· *Gregor Wolbring - *Calgary U., CA*
*/Ableism, Transhumanism and the transhumanization of Ableism: The
Future has started today/*?*
Full conference programme and application form accessible online from
www.esf.org/conferences/09273 <http://www.esf.org/conferences/09273>
Some *grants* are available for young researchers to cover the
conference fee and possibly part of the travel costs. Grant requests
should be made by ticking appropriate field(s) in the paragraph "Grant
application" of the application form.
ESF Contact for further information: *Anne Blondeel-Oman* -
[log in to unmask]
<file:///C:[log in to unmask]>
Many thanks for passing on this call to your colleagues who might be
interested in this event.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This conference is organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF
<http://www.esf.org/conferences>), in partnership with Linköping
University (LiU <http://www.liu.se/en/>).
With support from
--
Cheers
Gregor
Dr. Gregor Wolbring
Assistant Professor
University of Calgary
President-elect Canadian Disability Studies Association
webpage: http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org/
Ableism and Ability Ethics and Governance blog: http://ableism.wordpress.com
biweekly column The Choice is Yours: http://www.innovationwatch.com/commentary_choiceisyours.htm
Nano Bio Info Cogno Synbio Blog:http://wolbring.wordpress.com/
What Sorts of People blog: http://whatsortsofpeople.wordpress.com/
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