Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1, 16, 17 and 18 March, 2006 Convened by Rosi Braidotti, Utrecht University; Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professor, Birkbeck College.

This conference explores the shifting boundaries between life and death in contemporary culture, with special emphasis on issues of embodiment. The conference will address the proliferation of practices about ‘bio-power’ after Foucault. The common axis of reflection is biotechnology and the forms of biocapitalism that support it. On the critical side the conference will explore the forensic shift in contemporary social theory and cultural sensibility from a number of interdisciplinary perspectives. On the affirmative side, it assumes that contemporary biocitizenship affects the very being of social subjects, creating the possibility for multiple ecologies of belonging.

Speakers will include: Ian Buchanan, Claire Colebrook, Sarah Franklin, Costas Douzinas, Paul Gilroy, Steve Connor, Nicholas Rose

There will also be an Open Forum on Saturday 18 March for researchers in the early stages of their careers to present papers that are relevant to the themes of the conference. Participants are invited to submit abstracts of their presentations to Christine Weber, c.weber [AT] bbk.ac.uk, by 28 February, 2006.

For full programme and registration information please see our website or contact Christine Weber, Birkbeck Law School, 020 7631 6504. Registration £100, reduced student rate £50