Politics of Reproduction
- Dawn Teele
- College of Arts & Sciences
- First-Year Seminar Grant
The idea that the “personal” is “political” finds no greater example than in the politics of reproduction. From inheritance laws, the rights of the offspring of enslaved peoples, or policies to reduce (or increase) fertility, the modern nation state has had a great deal to say about the use and produce of women’s bodies. In this course we will examine how formal and informal institutions have governed reproductive practices over the past 200 years. We will look at how family structures and economic development map onto fertility, and at how technological innovations in fertility control (including birth control and IVF) have influenced women’s economic and political participation. We will also examine the “dark side” of reproductive policies — not only sterilization campaigns but also the treatment of sex workers and IVF — to understand how state policies have divided women based on race, class, and occupation. Throughout the course we will analyze how formal and informal institutions can and have been subverted through collective action.