Hodges, Sarah (2013) Umbilical cord blood banking and its interruptions : notes from Chennai, India. Economy and Society, Volume 42 (Number 4). pp. 651-670. doi:10.1080/03085147.2013.772759

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Abstract

What is the relationship between globalization and the body? In both scholarly discourse and everyday practice, the relationship between globalization and the body has been understood through the idea of accumulation – the intensified and interlinked pursuit of health and wealth. Through an examination of private umbilical cord blood banking in south India, this paper investigates the interplay of accumulation and its interruption in Indians' uptake of this practice. Although Chennai-based bankers, doctors and parents explain the recent surge in popularity for cord blood banking in the city in terms of interlinked financial and familial accumulation, investment and security, Indians' cultural and religious conceptions of the latent power of the placenta and cord often work against cord blood banking marketers' neat account of twinned economic and familial accumulation. Analytic attention to interruption highlights the tensions within and precariousness of the accumulation at the heart of the relationship between globalization and the body.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts > History
Journal or Publication Title:	Economy and Society
Publisher:	Routledge
ISSN:	0308-5147
Official Date:	2013
Dates:	Date Event 2013 Published
Volume:	Volume 42
Number:	Number 4
Page Range:	pp. 651-670
DOI:	10.1080/03085147.2013.772759
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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