Review of the book Bioethics Around the Globe by Catherine Myser

In her first effort as editor, Myser (Florida Atlantic Univ.) brings together the diverse contributors needed for an ambitious book. This volume defies easy categorization: it includes history, sociological and anthropological analysis, and philosophical reflection. In this way, it reflects the contours of bioethics as a field--interdisciplinary almost to a fault. The text is written with minimal jargon, and those without training in sociology or anthropology will find it approachable. The first section provides jarring critiques of the imperialism of Western bioethicists and includes a tidy analysis titled \u22Bioethics as Missionary Work\u22 by R. De Vries and L. Rott. Some contributions tend to the US-centric, most notably in the contrast with European bioethics. A trailblazer of sorts, this book is the first of its kind; unsurprisingly, its later sections leave space for future work. Themes that resonate in the second half of the book and that will be further developed include the relationships between bioethics and politics and religion, and the role of \u22beginning of life\u22 issues and medical research in framing the emergence of bioethics in various cultural context