Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering expertly explains why biotechnology is a relevant and volatile issue. Part I begins with a history of biotechnology and its effect on agriculture, medicine, and the environment. The second chapter focuses on the United States, with emphasis on recent progress and new applications. Equal time is spent discussing the efforts of human rights advocates, animal rights advocates, and environmentalists to create definitive governmental regulations for this budding industry. The third chapter looks at how biotechnology has impacted the world, providing case studies of its history and current role in Japan, India, Germany, and South Africa. Part II draws together significant U.S. and international primary source documents and part III gathers useful research tools.