Cooperation with the Orient-Institut Istanbul

"Human, Medicine, and Society" are the focus of the partnership between ITAS and the Orient-Institut Istanbul. The new partnership will be marked with a ceremony on December 7, 2015, where Joachim Boldt will give a talk.

Rapid and dynamic developments in science, medicine and technology bring new challenges for modern societies. This raises questions as to how these developments affect socio-technical, socio-cultural and socio-political processes. These questions are particularly critical for young and dynamic societies like Turkey. Therefore, the Orient-Institut Istanbul – a Turkological and regional scientific research institute of the Max Weber Foundation – is establishing a new research area called "Human, Medicine, and Society" to be led by Melike Sahinol. The aim will be to explore socially specific ways of dealing with practices and techniques of human optimization through medical innovation. In particular, these include topical issues such as human enhancement, genetic engineering, modern reproductive technologies, and health apps, which affect different dimensions of individual and social life.

In the development of the research area, the Orient-Institut Istanbul will cooperate with ITAS as the core partner. The cooperation includes joint workshops, conferences, scientific research projects, and publication projects. The partnership will officially be launched on Monday, December 7, 2015 at 14.00 in a ceremony at ITAS. At the event, Joachim Boldt (Deputy Director of the Institute for Ethics and the History of Medicine at the University of Freiburg) will talk about the "Ethical debate on enhancing humans by medical means." (04.12.2015)

Further information: