TY - JOUR
T1 - Sperm and simulacra
T2 - Emotional capitalism and sperm donation industry
AU - Bokek-Cohen, Ya'Arit
AU - Gonen, Limor Dina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2015/7/3
Y1 - 2015/7/3
N2 - The article proposes sociological insights into the sperm banking industry, derived from a qualitative study of extended sperm donor profiles in six large American sperm banks. We content analyzed the extended profiles and baby photos of 120 randomly selected donors who appear in the catalogues. Inspired by Baudrillard's and Illouz's writings on the postmodern era, we show how sperm banks de-commodify sperm, personify donations, facilitate the romanticization of the donor-recipient bond, and add an emotional context to the economic transaction. The donors extended profiles constitute a simulacrum of a living male partner and fulfill recipients fantasies. This creates a powerful reenchantment mechanism counterbalancing the anonymity and disenchantment characterizing donor insemination technology in particular and the postmodern spirit in general.
AB - The article proposes sociological insights into the sperm banking industry, derived from a qualitative study of extended sperm donor profiles in six large American sperm banks. We content analyzed the extended profiles and baby photos of 120 randomly selected donors who appear in the catalogues. Inspired by Baudrillard's and Illouz's writings on the postmodern era, we show how sperm banks de-commodify sperm, personify donations, facilitate the romanticization of the donor-recipient bond, and add an emotional context to the economic transaction. The donors extended profiles constitute a simulacrum of a living male partner and fulfill recipients fantasies. This creates a powerful reenchantment mechanism counterbalancing the anonymity and disenchantment characterizing donor insemination technology in particular and the postmodern spirit in general.
KW - hyperreality
KW - personification
KW - simulacrum
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938958291&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14636778.2015.1032401
DO - 10.1080/14636778.2015.1032401
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:84938958291
SN - 1463-6778
VL - 34
SP - 243
EP - 273
JO - New Genetics and Society
JF - New Genetics and Society
IS - 3
ER -