Alissa van Asseldonk

The body as a material source/resource/commodity

Department: Man and Well being
Website: www.alissavanasseldonk.nl

Corpus commodus

The human body as a source of material and commodities. In Corpus Commodus, Alissa van Asseldonk presents the three ways of donating bodily material in an almost clinical way: purposely – i.e. through donation –, after an operation, or through natural discharge. Corpus Commodus then goes on to explain how these materials are harvested, processed, and used, and charts the influence of them on individuals and on society. Van Asseldonk’s aim is for people to be able to form an opinion on the subject after reading Corpus Commodus. "In terms of ethics, this is a very sensitive issue. There are so many possibilities, and regulations are patchy. This means some strange situations can occur. Hopefully this book will contribute to people’s awareness of the trade in bodily materials and spark a debate in society.”