ABSTRACT
The phrase 'Body Politics' has its roots in feminist politics, particularly concerning the reproductive rights of women, it has taken on a much more general meaning, covering regulation and control over the human body from a range of ethical, legal and social perspectives. The specification of body politics was intended to encourage broad contributions that speak to current ethical, legal and social controversies surrounding the human body. Consent is intimately tied up with the right to choose what is done to one's own body and can therefore be found at the heart of almost any issue concerning control and access to the body. Concerns about the nature of consent and whether it can provide sufficient safeguards for individuals to guard against unwarranted bodily interventions unquestionably make it one of the most discussed principles in both bioethics and medical law.
