Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society

Costumed Visions

12 November 2020, 7pm

design showing a few bodies in super hero costumes

Exploring attitudes to the body, ability, disability and identity through superheroes and other popular depictions

 

Superheroes are everywhere today- and they show no sign of slowing down. The things we watch and read shape how we feel about the human body and what it might become in ways we might not even notice, with idealised shapes and new transhuman abilities becoming more and more unremarkable. Or are they? Once we start to think about superhero abilities being real, do we always think as positively about them as when they’re just an (amazing) fantasy?

Join us for an evening of discussion with experts in bioethics and physiology examining what these interactions of technology with society tell us about our attitudes to the body, ability, disability, and identity. We will look at how these new kinds of body are represented across comics and films, challenge some preconceptions, and answer your questions about the future of the body.

This event is organised in partnership with ScotSci Edinburgh.

TICKETS

Information for Participants 

If you are joining us at this event here are some ideas of films to watch in advance, and also some activities to do where you can send us a question to answer on the night or draw what you think bodies may look like in the future. If you require any of these in a different format please contact stephanie.sinclair@ed.ac.uk

 

image of superman coming out of an egg