This seminar delves into the political economy of genetic engineering developments by critically addressing these advancements within the context of the emerging biotech industry and neoliberal genomic science.

Over the past four decades, genetic engineering developments have resulted in the creation of previously unknown life forms, such as oil-eating bacteria, herbicide-resistant maize, or fast-growing salmon, fundamentally altering our conception and understanding of life.

Similarly, these genetically engineered organisms and the techniques used to create them have not only raised important questions regarding their environmental and sociological impacts but have also highlighted how these new organisms have solidified a genomic engineering industry that facilitates capital accumulation. This industry continuously redefines the foundations of living bodies and their metabolic processes.

Furthermore, in this seminar, we aim to critically examine the consolidation of genomic editing as a driving force behind various other industries, while at the same time reinforcing the biotech industry as an information-based rentier economy.

For this seminar, we have invited Amedeo Policante and Erica Borg, authors of the book "Mutant Ecologies: Manufacturing Life in the Age of Genomic Capital”. Together with them, we will explore how genomic engineering has surpassed biological limitations that previously hindered capital accumulation by extending the process of capital valorization. Additionally, we will discuss how the promises of technological solutions to major social and environmental challenges serve as barriers to the necessity for radical political change.

Commentators-debate: Lanka Horstink (ICS-UL) e Irina Castro (CES)

The seminar will take place in the English language. However, we will attempt on-site assistance with translation for those who have difficulties.

This seminar is organised by the Coordination of the Thematic Section on Political Economy of Science and Technology of the Portuguese Association for Political Economy (EcPol), in partnership with the Centre Regional Nuclei of EcPol, and the Ecology and Society Lab at the Centre for Social Studies (ECOSOC).

This joint effort aims to bring together different perspectives and disciplines to discuss topics such as bioassetization, corporate capital, the real subsumption of science under capitalism, the climate crisis, technological solutions, technological fetishism, technological innovation, political visions, among others.