Humanities Scholars

Fertility preservation technologies raise a variety of ethical, social, and legal challenges and concerns.  This section of the website is devoted to those working in the humanities who research these issues from disciplines such as bioethics, history, literature, philosophy, religions, law, and the arts.  Humanists have been involved in the Oncofertility Consortium® since its inception, providing parallel scholarship to accompany scientific and technological developments, proving an integral part of the Oncofertility Consortium® team.

 

Projects:

Waiting to be Born: The Ethical and Legal Implications of the Generation from Frozen and Stored Pre-pubertal Ovarian Tissue

This project evaluates the ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of reproductive technologies in cancer patients, with a special emphasis on the implications for pediatric patients and their families.

For a complete description of the humanities projects currently supported by the Oncofertility Consortium, please visit our Humanities, Social Science, and Oncofertility page.

Publications:

Presentations:

In July 2009, the Oncofertility Consortium hosted a robust summit that brought together scholars from the humanities, social sciences, and the basic and clinical sciences to examine the complex issues raised by recent developments in the field of oncofertility and to provide interdisciplinary perspectives to help shape the understanding and delivery of this new field.  Papers and presentations from this summit are available in our Virtual Library. 

Dr. Paul Lauritzen has also prepared a podcast titled "Technology and Wholeness: Rethinking Catholic Teaching in Light of Oncofertility," which exlpores oncofertility from the Catholic perspective. This insightful presentation offers a unique look into the implications of developing fertility preservation technologies from the perspective of an accomplished religious scholar.

In early 2011, the Chicago Council for Religious Clergy met with the Oncofertility Consortium® to begin a discussion between scientists, ethicists, and a variety of religious traditions about the evolving technologies in fertility preservation. The presentations can be viewed here and additional materials will be added as the conversation continues:

The Oncofertility Consortium® recognizes that society is always in flux, and thus understands that humanities research is continually evolving.  If you are a humanist interested in pursuing a novel research aim related to oncofertility or have questions or comment about our existing research project, please contact us.