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SUMMARY:The frog and the vine: indigenous knowledge\, biomedical innovatio
 n\, and biopiracy in Latin America - Ernesto Schwartz-Marin (Exeter Univer
 sity)
DTSTART:20211115T130000Z
DTEND:20211115T140000Z
UID:TALK163219@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Olin Moctezuma
DESCRIPTION:The nexus of 'western' and 'indigenous' knowledge\, toxicity\,
  and biodiversity has transformed biomedical fields ranging from drug deve
 lopment to microbial resistance\, yet it has not been marked by just resea
 rch practices. This chapter delineates the intersections of indigenous and
  western knowledge practices in relation to toxic organisms\, in order to 
 advance insights that shed light into the ways in which biomedicine has be
 en (or failed to be) committed to justice and solidarity. Due to their por
 ous nature and ability to travel across boundaries\, toxins – in the for
 ms of potent and potentially poisonous plants and animals – are an ideal
  place from which to inquire into questions of justice and knowledge. The 
 use of indigenous knowledge of nature for research illuminates central ten
 sions in biomedical research practices today. Despite policies such as Gen
 omic Sovereignty doctrine\, due to histories of manipulation\, lack of ben
 efit sharing\, and limited indigenous research representation\, the relati
 onship between indigenous and western knowledges is fraught with suspicion
  and conflict. One particularly salient concern is that patents filed in t
 he global north have claimed ownership over indigenous knowledge and organ
 isms\, thus exploiting inequalities and enabling proprietary colonial uses
  of biodiversity in Latin America (Thacker 2008\; Hayden 2003\; Chavez 201
 2\; Schwartz-Marin and Restrepo 2013). Drawing on ethnographic & historica
 l methodologies\, this chapter interrogates landmark cases linked with bio
 piracy and medical innovation: 1) Ayahuasca and 2) the Poison Dart Frog. T
 hese two organisms have been identified as important cases\, because both 
 have been subject to patents (Tidwell 2002\; Males 2015)\, are at the cent
 re of significant biomedical investment\, and are deeply embedded in the a
 ncestral knowledge of Latin American indigenous groups\, as well as biomed
 ical innovations and forms of capitalist profit making via pharmaceutical 
 research.
LOCATION:Zoom and Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of
  Science
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