Examines contemporary texts in ethical and political theory that critically interrogate recent developments in biotechnology, focusing on questions about power, subjectivity and materiality. Introduces emerging literature on the concept of biopolitics, and several influential approaches to technology, and critically examines the usefulness of these for analysing the social, political and ethical implications of biotechnologies. Contemporary ethical and political issues posed by advances in biotechnologies examined include the human genome project and new genetics, bio-terrorism, and bio-risk. Philosophical texts to be used include works by Foucault, Agamben, Arendt, Heidegger, Latour, Habermas and Haraway.