Coding the Self: The Infopolitics and Biopolitics of Genetic Sciences

Area of Science:

• Genetics, Genomics, and Postgenomics
• Political Science
• Ethics

Background:

• Contemporary genetics, genomics, and postgenomics present complex political and ethical challenges.
• Existing analytical models include the state-politics and biopolitical approaches.
• The infopolitical dimensions of genetic sciences are largely overlooked despite their informational nature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three models for conceptualizing the political and ethical challenges in contemporary genetic sciences.
• To highlight the underemphasized infopolitical model.
• To elucidate the specific ethical and political issues arising from the informational aspects of genetics.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of three conceptual models: state-politics, biopolitical, and infopolitical.
• Examination of the influence and applicability of each model in current discourse.
• Focus on the informational architecture of genetic sciences.

Main Results:

• The state-politics model is dominant, while the biopolitical model is increasingly relevant.
• The infopolitical model, though neglected, is crucial for understanding the information science aspects of genetics.
• Genetic sciences are preeminent information sciences with embedded ethical and political assumptions in their data structures and algorithms.

Conclusions:

• The infopolitical model offers a novel framework for analyzing the political and ethical challenges inherent in the informational nature of genetic sciences.
• Recognizing and applying the infopolitical model is essential for addressing contemporary issues in genetics, genomics, and postgenomics.
• Further research into the infopolitical dimensions can illuminate how conceptual assumptions shape ethical and political landscapes in genetic information systems.