Relational theory has recently gained prominence in philosophy, women’s and gender studies, and bioethics. Yet it has not made substantial inroads into many areas of law and policy. Being Relational seeks to remedy this situation by bringing this powerful theoretical framework to the field of health law and policy.

At the heart of relational theory lies the idea that the human self is fundamentally constituted in terms of its relations to others. For relational theorists, the self not only lives in relationship with and to others, but also owes its very existence to such relationships. In this groundbreaking collection, leading relational theorists explore the key concepts of autonomy, judgment, equality, justice, memory, identity, and conscience. In response, health policy and law scholars analyze how such considerations might be brought to bear on pressing issues such as reproduction, allocation of scarce resources, Aboriginal health, mental health, and animal experimentation.