Book Review: Brian Tokar (ed.): Redesigning Life?: The Worldwide Challenge to Genetic Engineering

This book documents in one handy volume the global negative effects of the present-day overly-commercialized model of biotechnology/ genetic engineering (BT/GE) research on health, food security and indigenous economies. It even calls into question the scientific integrity of the overly optimistic claims of BT/GE to enhancing food production and overcoming diseases.

While not actually advocating a wholesale abandonment of the BT/GE program, the book does emphasize that it is high time for scientists in the public interest to take a thorough second look at BT/GE and do a systemic review of all its theoretical assumptions and research methods. Political economists in the public interest may also do well to deconstruct the not-so-altruistic socio-economic objectives which drive much of BT/GE research today.

The book is divided into four parts of a total of thirty-one articles by various authors, including such notables as Vandana Shiva, Tokar himself, Beth Burrows, David King, Hope Shand and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz. Part one has eight chapters centering on the theme of health, food and environment. The six articles of part two focus on "medical genetics, science and human rights." The next part of eight articles deals with the issue of "patents, corporate power and the theft of knowledge and resources." While these first three parts are concerned with the various shortcomings and negative impacts of BT/GE, the last part tells us through eight articles just what the free peoples of the world are doing about the GE threat to their sense of biological and spiritual well-being.

Journal of Islam & Science, Vol. 3 (Summer 2005) No. 1

Adi Setia

Adi Setia is the founding director of IGE Advisory, which is dedicated to consulting, teaching and researching in the Islamic Gift Economy framework. He is also the co-founder of the Program for Ethical, Appropriate & Regenerative Livelihoods (PEARL).