Human Reproduction and Parental Responsibility: New Theories, Narratives, Ethics

Advances in reproductive technologies have profoundly altered the demarcations of parenthood. They offer a significant challenge to conventional perspectives on parental rights and responsibilities. Emergent new possibilities of biological and social parenthood raise significant ethical and social questions, and call for in-depth philosophical, bioethical and legal reflection. Anthropogenic climate change also calls for new thinking and discussion in reproductive ethics and values, inspiring contrasting views, and raises questions about population growth and human procreation on a warming planet. In this context, philosophical and bioethical debate, as well as literature, film and the arts, play a crucial role in shedding light on the complex and changing emotions and experiences of parenting, and interrogate the moral and social challenges associated with reproductive technologies. Literature and art may also draw attention to global patterns of exploitation and inequality, and bring into focus the discrepancies between political, philosophical and religious perspectives.

Deadline for submissions: 15 April 2020

Notification of acceptance: 1 Jun 2020

Publication of the issue: December, 2020

Guest Editors

Simona Corso (Università degli Studi Roma Tre)

Florian Mussgnug (University College London)

Virginia Sanchini (San Raffaele University; University of Milan; KU Leuven)

Phenomenology and Mind invites submissions for a special issue dedicated to “Human Reproduction and Parental Responsibility: New Theories, Narratives, Ethics”. This special issue will gather politically diverse perspectives from a variety of disciplines and fields, including philosophy, literature and film, bioethics, gender and queer studies and legal theory.

We welcome contributions that are related – but not limited – to the following questions:

How do conceptions and cultural representations of parental responsibility inform bioethical, legal and political approaches towards the introduction and use of reproductive technologies?
Conversely, to what extent have new reproductive technologies been altering the concepts of parenthood and parental responsibility?
What are the emergent transformations and moral challenges associated with new forms of parenting?
How can artistic practice create a space for political and bioethical reflection, and what is the role of specific forms, genres and media (e.g. performance and video art; Science Fiction; life writing etc).
How have stories about parents and children evolved? How will they evolve in the future?
What is the impact of advanced reproductive technologies on legal and philosophical debates about biological and social parenthood, gender, and the rights of the unborn?
How do planetary environmental pressures affect theories and narratives of parenthood? What is the meaning of procreative liberty, parental responsibility and procreative beneficence on a warming planet?

Confirmed Invited Authors

Rachel Bowlby (University College London)

Simona Corso (Università degli Studi Roma Tre)

Carmen Dell’Aversano (Università di Pisa)

Roberto Mordacci (Università San Raffaele)

Florian Mussgnug (University College London)

Laura Palazzani (Università di Roma Lumsa)

Zoe Papadopoulou (Visual artist, London)

Aarathi Prasad (University College London)

Maria Russo (Università San Raffaele)

Virginia Sanchini (Università San Raffaele; Università di Milano Statale; KU Leuven)

Submission Guidelines

Submissions must be prepared for double blind review. Manuscripts – in .doc format – should not contain any identifying information and must not exceed 6000 words (references included).

Moreover, they must contain:

– An abstract of no more than 150 words

– 4/5 keywords

All manuscripts must be in English

For stylistic details, see: http://www.fupress.net/public/journals/60/pam_guidelines.pdf;

Submissions should be sent via the Phenomenology and Mind website (http://www.fupress.net/index.php/pam) by 15 April 2020.

The author should register here and then log in to submit her paper. Please, be sure to submit your paper to the session “Human Reproduction and Parental Responsibility: New Theories, Narratives, Ethics”

For information, please contact: phenomenologyandmind@unisr.it