ABSTRACT
This contribution on family making emphasizes the morally and politically contested character of families, in which moral conflicts, the negotiation of responsibilities and oppressive power systems occur. The chapter starts with exploring the meaning of the concept of family, arguing that family and family making refers to a process of narrative self-interpretation that itself is always situated in social, economic and cultural contexts. This embedded character of the concept of family reveals its political nature. After discussing what counts as family, the chapter elaborates on the specific need for a familial and feminist ethical perspective when exploring the ethical and bioethical issues in families and family making.
