Biocolonialism

 

Biocolonialism denotes the broader impacts on culture, politics, and society resulting from what philosopher of science Laurelyn Whitt identifies as a "new imperial science." This new form of scientific pursuit is deeply integrated within the framework of Western capitalism and is an extension of the scientific methodologies of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These methodologies not only facilitated the territorial expansion of empires but also justified the subjugation and exploitation of indigenous populations. Biocolonialism arises from the underlying beliefs, political structures, and practical approaches of this new imperial science. It enables the appropriation of indigenous knowledge and biological resources, primarily for the advancement of Western biomedical industries and corporations. It operates as a mode of neocolonialism, where the dynamics of dominance and oppression hinge upon the exploitation of indigenous human bodies and living organisms, effectively turning them into profitable biological commodities. This phenomenon aligns with the principles of cultural imperialism, wherein the dominant culture aims to assert itself in indigenous cultures by assimilating, extracting, and redefining elements that are distinctive or integral to them. However, in the context of biocolonialism, this imperialism occurs at a biological level. As Shiva elucidates, this colonization now extends to the internal genetic codes of various life forms, encompassing plants, animals, and even humans. Within the realm of biocolonialism, the battleground shifts from territorial acquisition to the cellular and chemical constituents of life and identity. Critics of biocolonialism specifically denounce the appropriation of indigenous knowledge and genetic material for the benefit of the Western biomedical industry. However, Shiva's notion of "interior spaces" being targeted as sites of colonial aggression certainly intersects with discussions concerning the colonization of the human body, as exemplified in Deepika Bahri's work, "Postcolonial Biology: Psyche and Flesh After Empire". This work delves into the adaptability of the colonized body and the physical consequences of mimicking colonial practices.

The focal point of attention for scholars and activists examining biocolonialism is the Human Genome Diversity Project (Diversity Project). It began at Stanford University in 1991 with geneticist Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza proposing to collect biological samples from various global populations to create a database of human genetic diversity for further research. The project identified around 700 indigenous groups as specific targets for this biological sampling. Geneticists argue that isolated subgroups, like indigenous communities separated by natural barriers, offer valuable genetic insights.

 

However, this project sparked immediate outrage among indigenous communities and activists. They criticized its justification and pointed to past abuses of indigenous genetic material by the Western biomedical industry. Particularly troubling was the language used in an early project proposal, which referred to indigenous people as "isolates of historic interest" on the brink of extinction, justifying their selection for biological sampling and genetic research.

 

This dehumanizing language was present in a document from an early project workshop in 1992, which stated that many groups, especially isolated ones with traditional lifestyles, were at risk of disappearing due to various factors. They were labeled as "isolates of historic interest" because they were seen as groups that should be studied before they vanished, in order to preserve their role in human history.

 

Indigenous communities and activists consistently expressed their outrage at the prioritization of mining indigenous genetic material for research, often at the expense of the well-being and survival of these populations. M.A. Jaimes Guerrero argues that the Diversity Project, despite presenting itself as a biodiversity initiative, is essentially exploiting indigenous populations as distinct cultural and biological entities for research and commercial gain.