This panel brings together scholars from underrepresented regions including East Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe, and the MENA region. Speakers will explore the value of cultural-sensitivity in addressing ethical challenges in neuroscience and neurotechnology; how evidence, culture, and lived experience can inform ethical frameworks that are first locally responsive and then globally relevant; and the role of cross-cultural exchange in shaping glocal neuroethics.
- Katherine Bassil (organiser, in person)
- Mariam Gamaleldin (co-organiser, in person)
- Tamami Fukushi (in-person)
- Anibal Astobiza (virtual)
- Ioana Podina (virtual)
Agenda
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- Presentation / 0 minutes
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- Audience Q&A / 0 minutes
Attend
IMT School for Advanced Studies
Guinigi Room
Thursday, April 16, 2026
9:00-10:00 CEST
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Neuroethics 2026
Building Bridges and Cultivating Community
This session is part of the Neuroethics 2026 conference organized by INS and SINe, and hosted by the IMT School for Advanced Studies. Register for the conference to attend in-person at IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, or to participate virtually.
Description
Growing research and developments into neuromodulation devices, AI-driven diagnostics, cognitive enhancement technologies, and neuropharmacology have showcased the urgency for robust neuroethics governance. UNESCO’s recent recommendations on the ethics of neurotechnology reflects this global need, highlighting concerns related to autonomy, mental privacy, agency, fairness, and safety(1). At the same time, scholars have increasingly called for embracing non-Western knowledge systems of the mind and brain–including those of Indigenous communities–as essential sources of insight for building diverse and inclusive neuroscience(2). However, even as global frameworks articulate universal bioethical principles, they often overlook cultural variability in how societies understand the brain, mental health, enhancement, identity, and technology itself.
These gaps become especially clear in regions where public trust in medical systems varies or where cultural, religious, and socio-political contexts shape attitudes toward neurotechnology(3). Many communities lack tailored neuroethical education and scholarship, and several countries in the Global South remain underrepresented in global neuroethics discourse(4). As a result, ethical decision-making may default to Western norms that do not align with local values, community expectations, or healthcare realities, reflecting broader inequities. Increasingly, calls for global neuroethics emphasize the need for a more culturally sensitive and inclusive field, yet global frameworks—often shaped by Western norms—can be difficult for local communities to meaningfully implement(5). Instead of global neuroethics, we would like to discuss glocal neuroethics, which integrates global ethical principles with locally grounded values, practices, and sociocultural nuances.
This panel brings together scholars from (underrepresented) regions including East Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe, and the MENA region (hence the choice of the conference location in Italy). Speakers will explore the value of cultural-sensitivity in addressing ethical challenges in neuroscience and neurotechnology; how evidence, culture, and lived experience can inform ethical frameworks that are first locally responsive and then globally relevant; and the role of cross-cultural exchange in shaping glocal neuroethics. A central question guiding the discussion will be: Should neuroethics be local first, global second? The panel aims to outline strategic steps toward building an international neuroethics community that is global in reach while genuinely reflective of diverse cultures and knowledge systems.
Resources
- UNESCO, (2025), Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology. Retreived on 28 November 2025. url: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391074
- Illes, J., Perreault, M. L., Bassil, K., Bjaalie, J. G., Taylor-Bragge, R. L., Chneiweiss, H., … & Velarde, M. R. (2025). Two-Eyed Seeing and other Indigenous perspectives for neuroscience. Nature, 638(8049), 58-68.
- MATAR, A. (2024). How Do Arabic Cultural and Ethical Perspectives Engage with New Neuro-technologies? A Scoping Review. Neuroethics and Cultural Diversity, 193-216.
- Palk, A. (2022). Towards a more globally inclusive and relevant neuroethics. Challenges in medical ethics: The South African context. Stellenbosch: African Sun Media, 157-182.
- Bhakuni, H. (2022). Glocalization of bioethics. Global Bioethics, 33(1), 65-77
Recording
A recording of this session will be made available to registered attendees.