Wednesday 16:00-16:30 Laurie Taylor discusses the latest social science research.
14 February 2007
ALISTAIR COOKEand BIO-PIRACY In 2004 Alistair Cooke, former Radio 4 presenter, died at the age of 95. He had requested for his remains to be cremated but instead his legs, arms and pelvis were removed as part of a criminal conspiracy trafficking in tissue and bone, and subsequently sold for more than $7000 despite his advanced age and the fact that he had cancer. It is now thought that the body parts have been used in medical procedures in the UK, part of a huge international clandestine trade.
Laurie Taylor examines the growing phenomenon of bio-piracy and the traffic in human tissues and talks to Professor Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Advisor to the World Health Organisation who will be unveiling her new research in to this massive and largely unregulated industry.
WEDDING PRESENTS Louise Purbrick, Senior lecturer at University of Brighton and author of The Wedding Present; Domestic Life Beyond Consumption and Dr Rachel Hurdley, Research Associate at Cardiff University discuss the social history of the wedding present.
What happens to unwanted presents? Has the ‘wedding list’ killed off the original meaning of the gift? And when it is chosen by the receiver and often never seen by the giver why do we continue to give presents at weddings?
