Gender for Change in the New ReproductiveTechnologies

Since the historic birth of Louise Brown (1978), the first'test-tube ' baby, the revelations of the New ReproductiveTechnologies (NRTs) have continued to become front page news.Caught up in this media hype, infertile couples and IVFpractitioners have looked to the Church for moral guidance.However,the premise of this book is that the Church has been foundwanting in its pastoral and prophetic role in this increasinglyvital socio-cultural area, predominantly because woman 's subjectposition of invisibility in theological discouses prevents theChurch from speaking differently to the secular world. Based on anunderstanding of Michel Foucault 's insights regarding theconstruction of subject positions,the book seeks to interrogate andcompare the constructions of woman and the embryo in both secularand theological discourses. A case is made for using criticaldiscourse analysis as the tool of deconstruction for thispurpose.The discussion evolves to suggest a different framework ofmoral perception.The book would be useful for students orprofessionals working in the field of ethics, feminist theology,the NRTs, critical discourse analysis and Foucauldianscholars.