This theme explores stages of the life course from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Microbiology. Image by PublicDomainPictures, 2013. Pixabay. License: Creative Commons CC0.

Drawing upon combinations of scientific, arts and humanities approaches it might touch upon reproduction, biological development, senescence and death alongside rites of passage and sociocultural aspects of progression through, and understanding of, the life course.

Concepts of shared and distinct identity will be explored using genetic analysis and investigation of individual lived experience, using individual and population level studies.Topics could include the ways in which people understand and manipulate their biology to create a contextual chronology of the life, or tie lives together through the interactions of pregnancy/birth or genetic lineages/inheritance.