Working Paper 119

Title
Technologies of Trans* Citizen Configuration: the case of South Africa

Author
Thamar Klein

Department
Max Planck Fellow Group LOST

Year of publication
2009

Number of pages
19

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Working Paper 119

Abstract
This paper explores the relation between biomedicine and governance with regard to the (self)configuration of trans* citizens through technologies. Keeping the diversity of South African trans* citizens in mind, I will address the following questions: How are trans* citizens defined and configured as gendered/sexed citizens – and by whom or through which technologies? How do trans* citizens experiment with technologies? More specifically what are new uses for technologies that were originally invented/intended for a different cause? Rather than seeing trans* citizens solely as passive subjects of governmental legal and health care interventions I will as well have a look at them as active agents in the re-shaping of their identities. The present study explores their local and global agency within the realms of supranational citizenship, citizen science and medical tourism.

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