Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities
The exchange of gametes has polarized and captivated the attention of biomedical practitioners, policy stakeholders, ethicists, and the general public alike. Studies have thoroughly explored the unique histories of this industry, its economies, legal statutes that influence clinical practice, motiva...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-04-01
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| Series: | New Genetics and Society |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636778.2019.1586524 |
| _version_ | 1797681269553758208 |
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| author | Seiichi Villalona |
| author_facet | Seiichi Villalona |
| author_sort | Seiichi Villalona |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The exchange of gametes has polarized and captivated the attention of biomedical practitioners, policy stakeholders, ethicists, and the general public alike. Studies have thoroughly explored the unique histories of this industry, its economies, legal statutes that influence clinical practice, motivating factors of donors, as well as debates on differentiating donor, offspring, and family rights from each other. This mixed-method study refocuses the analytical lens to examine the perceptions and decision-making processes of individual willingness to participate in gamete exchange networks in the United States for procreative or research purposes. Analyses revealed that individuals engage in a form of self-biocommodification, where ascribed values of gametes are explained as embodied capital and rationalized by Western biomedical explanatory models of genetics and reproduction. This work contributes to social scientific explanations of biocommodification while providing new points of departure in reconceptualizing science and technology studies through the perspectives of potential actors in gamete exchange networks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:42:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef5891602cd74b7ca292741ff7409fb2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1463-6778 1469-9915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:42:28Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Genetics and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef5891602cd74b7ca292741ff7409fb22023-09-19T15:22:17ZengTaylor & Francis GroupNew Genetics and Society1463-67781469-99152019-04-0138219522110.1080/14636778.2019.15865241586524Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommoditiesSeiichi Villalona0Department of Anthropology, University of South FloridaThe exchange of gametes has polarized and captivated the attention of biomedical practitioners, policy stakeholders, ethicists, and the general public alike. Studies have thoroughly explored the unique histories of this industry, its economies, legal statutes that influence clinical practice, motivating factors of donors, as well as debates on differentiating donor, offspring, and family rights from each other. This mixed-method study refocuses the analytical lens to examine the perceptions and decision-making processes of individual willingness to participate in gamete exchange networks in the United States for procreative or research purposes. Analyses revealed that individuals engage in a form of self-biocommodification, where ascribed values of gametes are explained as embodied capital and rationalized by Western biomedical explanatory models of genetics and reproduction. This work contributes to social scientific explanations of biocommodification while providing new points of departure in reconceptualizing science and technology studies through the perspectives of potential actors in gamete exchange networks.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636778.2019.1586524gametesbiocommodificationembodimentself-pricinggamete exchange networks (gens) |
| spellingShingle | Seiichi Villalona Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities New Genetics and Society gametes biocommodification embodiment self-pricing gamete exchange networks (gens) |
| title | Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| title_full | Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| title_fullStr | Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| title_short | Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| title_sort | gametes as embodied capital perceptions on self pricing reproductive biocommodities |
| topic | gametes biocommodification embodiment self-pricing gamete exchange networks (gens) |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636778.2019.1586524 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT seiichivillalona gametesasembodiedcapitalperceptionsonselfpricingreproductivebiocommodities |