Newcastle University

Dr Jackie Leach Scully has been awarded a two-year research project from the ESRC which will start in October 2011.

The project, entitled Faithful Judgements: the role of religion in laypeople's ethical evaluations of new reproductive and genetic technologies, is a collaboration with Professor Sarah Banks of the School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University, and Dr Robert Song of the Department of Theology and Religion, also at Durham.

Very little work in bioethics has yet been done on the role of religion, and most of it either looks at the theological views of one religion, or uses religious affiliation as a marker for cultural identity. Rather than focusing on theology or culture, this project aims to explore whether and how being 'a person of faith' contributes to people's thinking about bioethical issues, and to identify what is shared and what is different within and between different religions. It will involve lay and expert participants across the Christian, Muslim and Hindu religious communities in the north-east, and use a combination of focus groups and interviews, to address these questions.

The results will fill a major gap in our current understanding of people's relationship to new biomedical technologies, which will have practical use in improving opportunities for public engagement, consultation and education. They will also contribute to a broader discussion of how diversity is experienced in various aspects of contemporary society.

Dr Jackie Haq, currently at PEALS, will join the project as Research Associate.