Curriculum:
Established Programs
ETHICAL
& SOCIOCULTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF
GENETIC & REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Course Number: 315.623
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Course Director: Gail Geller, Sc.D.
COURSE READINGS
Readings for this course include a collection
of articles and book chapters. One set of readings is on reserve
in Lilienfeld library (and must stay there). The other set can be
circulated among the students and photocopied if desired.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Given the discussion-format of the class,
students are required to have completed the reading assignments
prior to the day they are listed on the syllabus. The grade will
be based on class preparation and participation as follows:
- Students will choose the class/topic that they want to be responsible
for leading, and the readings to summarize and present.1 Three
days before each class, the presenter(s) will distribute to everyone
(by e-mail) a 1-3 page commentary on their assigned readings for
that day. This will take the form of a newspaper editorial column,
summarizing the issue as stated in the readings, and taking a
position. Preparation/submission of the editorial and facilitation
of the discussion will constitute 60% of the
student’s grade.
- On the day of class all the non-presenting students will submit
a one paragraph (no more than one page) response to the presenter’s
commentary. If there is more than one presenter, non-presenters
can either synthesize both editorials or choose one. The responses
will take the form of a “letter to the editor”. These
“letters” and active participation in class discussions
will constitute 40% of the student’s grade.
OPTIONAL: Students who
feel so inspired (or who want to boost their grade) can submit a
short paper (no more than 5 pages) at the end of the course. This
paper can either explore a related topic that was not covered in
class or expound in greater depth on a topic that was addressed.
1Each class will be led by anywhere from 1-3 students
depending on the amount of assigned reading.
COURSE READINGS
| March 26: |
|
| April 2: |
| Ethical Theory as applied to Genetics &
Reproduction |
| Mary Briody Mahawold, Genes, Women, Equality.
New York: Oxford University Press,2000. Pp. 1-6, 13-27,
69-81. |
| Rosemary Tong, Feminist Approaches to Bioethics,
in Feminism & Bioethics: Beyond Reproduction.(ed.
Susan Wolf), NY: Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 67-89. |
| Dan W. Brock, "The human genome project and human
identity", in Genes and Human Self-Knowledge:
Historical and Philosophical Reflections on Modern Genetics,
RF Weir, SC Lawrence, E Fales (Eds.), University of Iowa
Press, 1994, pp. 18-31. |
|
| April 9: |
| The Impact of Genetic Testing on Notions of
Disease and Normalcy |
| Ruth Hubbard, "Predictive Genetics and the Construction
of the Healthy Ill," in Profitable Promises:
Essays on Women, Science and Health, Common Courage
Press, Monroe, ME, 1995, pp. 31-53. |
| Adrienne Asch and Gail Geller, "Feminism, Bioethics
& Genetics," in Feminism & Bioethics:
Beyond Reproduction. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1996, pp. 318-342. |
| Dorothy Wertz and John Fletcher, "A Critique of
Some Feminist Challenges to Prenatal Diagnosis,"
Journal of Women's Health 2 (1993): 173-88. |
| Abby Lippman, “Worrying - and Worrying about -
the Geneticization of Reproduction and Health,”
in W Teays and L Purdy (Eds.), Bioethics, Justice
and Health Care, Toronto: Wadsworth, 2001, pp.
635-642. |
|
| April 16: |
| The Impact of Assisted Reproductive Technology
on Ideas about Women, Motherhood, Parenthood, Personhood
and Kinship |
| David Wasserman and Robert Wachbroit, “Defining
families: The impact of reproductive technology,”
in Report from the Institute for Philosophy &
Public Policy, 1993;13:3-8. |
| Guido de Wert. The post-menopause: Playground for reproductive
technology? Some ethical reflections. In The Future
of Human Reproduction: Ethics, Choice and Regulation.
(John Harris & Soren Holm, eds.). Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1998, pp. 221-237. |
| Mary Briody Mahawold, Genes, Women, Equality.
New York: Oxford University Press,2000. pp 127-142. |
| Hilde Lindemann Nelson, “Dethroning Choice: Analogy,
Personhood and the New Reproductive Technologies,”
in W Teays and L Purdy (Eds.), Bioethics, Justice
and Health Care, Toronto: Wadsworth, 2001, pp.
555-563. |
|
| April 23: |
| Pre-conception Gamete Selection and Pre-implantation
Genetic Diagnosis |
| Mary Briody Mahawold, Genes, Women, Equality.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. pp 209-224. |
| Soren Holm. Ethical issues in pre-implantation diagnosis.
In The Future of Human Reproduction: Ethics, Choice
and Regulation. (John Harris & Soren Holm,
eds.). Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998, pp. 176-190. |
| Linda Hasadsri. The multi-faceted implications of preimplantation
genetic testing. Princeton J Bioethics. 1998;1:76-82. |
|
| April 30: |
| The Destiny of Genetic Material: Ovaries, Oocytes,
Embryos and Stem Cells |
| Charles A. Erin, “Some comments on the ethics
of consent to the use of ovarian tissue from aborted fetuses
and dead women,” In The Future of Human
Reproduction: Ethics, Choice and Regulation.
(John Harris & Soren Holm, eds.). Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1998, pp. 162-175. |
| Andrea L. Kalfoglou and Gail Geller. A follow-up study
with oocyte donors exploring their experiences, knowledge,
and attitudes about the use of their oocytes and the outcome
of the donation. Fertil Steril 2000;74:660-667. |
| Gilbert Meilaender, “The Point of a Ban: How to
think about stem cell research,” Hastings
Center Report 2001;31:9-16. |
| Michael J. Meyer and Lawrence J. Nelson, “Respecting
what we destroy: Reflections on human embryo research,”
Hastings Center Report 2001;31:16-23. |
| Dorothy Nelkin and Lori Andrews, “Homo Economicus:
Commercialization of Body Tissue in the Age of Biotechnology,”
in W Teays and L Purdy (Eds.), Bioethics, Justice
and Health Care, Toronto: Wadsworth, 2001, pp.
294-300. |
| Sheryl G. Stolberg, “Clinics Full of Frozen Embryos
Offer a New Route to Adoption,” N.Y. Times, February
25, 2001. |
|
| May 7: |
| Communities, Cultures, Diversity and Genetics |
| Ilana Suez Mittman and Marian Gray Secundy. A National
Dialogue on Genetics and Minority Issues. Community
Genet 1998;1:190-200. |
| Dena S. Davis. Groups, communities and contested identities
in genetic research. Hastings Center Report
2000:30:38-45. |
| Eric T. Juengst. Group identity and human diversity:
Keeping biology straight from culture. Am J Hum
Genet 1998;63:673-677. |
| Mary Briody Mahawold, Genes, Women, Equality.
New York: Oxford University Press,2000. pp 105-125. |
|
| May 14: |
| Reproductive & Genetic Technologies: The
Potential for Population-Wide Inequities |
| Max J. Mehlman and Jeffrey R. Botkin. Access
to the Genome. Washington, DC: Georgetown University
Press, 1998. pp. 88-128. |
| Resnik DB. Of maize and men: Reproductive control and
the threat to genetic diversity. J Med Philos.
2000;25:451-467. |
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Last Updated:
11/25/02
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