Free trade has always been a moral and political, as well as economic, programme. Although free traders call for the liberalization of the economy from governmental interference, it is understood that international exchange can only operate within a framework of the law. Defenders of free trade believe not only will it promote economic prosperity, but that it enhances worldwide peace and understanding by substituting commercial competition for the pursuit of national goals by military means. Protection, on the other hand, has been defended as safeguarding those vulnerable to the fluctuations of world markets. This collection of essays by international lawyers and moral philosophers arises from a multi-disciplinary conference to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. It examines legal, moral and political dimensions of free trade. Contributors explore issues such as: the ethics and rules of competition; the idea of global justice; the problem of international exploitation; the protection of the environment; the regulation of services; and international taxation and the justifications for the barriers to trade. The book seeks to provide an insight i

From DNA sequences stored on computer databases to archived forensic samples and biomedical records, bioinformation comes in many forms. Its unique provenance the fact that it is 'mined' from the very fabric of the human body makes it a mercurial resource; one that no one seemingly owns, but in which many have deeply vested interests. Who has the right to exploit and benefit from bioinformation? The individual or community from whom it was derived? The scientists and technicians who make its extraction both possible and meaningful or the commercial and political interests which fund this work? Who is excluded or even at risk from its commercialisation? And what threats and opportunities might the generation of 'Big Bioinformational Data' raise? In this groundbreaking book, authors Bronwyn Parry and Beth Greenhough explore the complex economic, social and political questions arising from the creation and use of bioinformation. Drawing on a range of highly topical cases, including the commercialization of human sequence data; the forensic use of retained bioinformation; biobanking and genealogical research, they show how demand for this resource has grown significantly driving a burgeoning but often highly controversial global economy in bioinformation. But, they argue, change is afoot as new models emerge that challenge the ethos of privatisation by creating instead a dynamic open source 'bioinformational commons' available for all future generations.

From DNA sequences stored on computer databases to archived forensic samples and biomedical records, bioinformation comes in many forms. Its unique provenance the fact that it is 'mined' from the very fabric of the human body makes it a mercurial resource; one that no one seemingly owns, but in which many have deeply vested interests. Who has the right to exploit and benefit from bioinformation? The individual or community from whom it was derived? The scientists and technicians who make its extraction both possible and meaningful or the commercial and political interests which fund this work? Who is excluded or even at risk from its commercialisation? And what threats and opportunities might the generation of 'Big Bioinformational Data' raise? In this groundbreaking book, authors Bronwyn Parry and Beth Greenhough explore the complex economic, social and political questions arising from the creation and use of bioinformation. Drawing on a range of highly topical cases, including the commercialization of human sequence data; the forensic use of retained bioinformation; biobanking and genealogical research, they show how demand for this resource has grown significantly driving a burgeoning but often highly controversial global economy in bioinformation. But, they argue, change is afoot as new models emerge that challenge the ethos of privatisation by creating instead a dynamic open source 'bioinformational commons' available for all future generations.

This collection of essays by international lawyers and moral philosophers arises from a prestigious multi-disciplinary conference to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. It examines the legal, moral and political dimensions of free trade. Contributors explore issues such as: * the ethics and rules of competition * the idea of global justice * the problem of international exploitation * the protection of the environment * the regulation services * international taxation and the justifications for barriers to trade. This book provides an important insight into the continuing debates surrounding free trade. It is an important text for experts across the fields of economics, politics and law as well as to those with an interest in international trade.