ABSTRACT
Genomic technologies involve a broad set of technical processes, methods and devices that are used to read, analyze and manipulate genomes and genomic information. Their impact on a variety of fields, as diverse as biomedical research, medical practice, agricultural applications and forensic sciences is increasing. This chapter focuses on the medical field. It first briefly describes the main clinical applications of genomic technologies. It then calls attention to the importance of considering the value-laden and gendered nature of these technologies when evaluating them. Such attention permits a more accurate description of the impacts of genomic technologies that shows the ways in which they might either exacerbate or ameliorate oppression and injustice. Feminist work in this area is particularly valuable in promoting more adequate evaluations of these technologies.
