WOMS 343 - Motherhood and Contested Reproduction

Institution:

University of Delaware

Subject:

Womens Studies

Description:

Reproduction is more contested than ever, and is both shaped by and shaping the diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs of people everywhere. Reproduction is a topic and experience that cuts across multiple political and personal issues: it is at once a deeply intimate and highly public process with implications for both individuals and societies. In this course we identify, examine, and explore dominant narratives about motherhood and reproduction from cross-cultural perspectives, and the personal stakes and political scales at which different experiences of motherhood impact. We focus specifically on motherhood since it is the relationship between mother and child that is predominantly politicized in various configurations of power both historically and contemporaneously, although we do examine topics related to parenthood more broadly. Through the study of ethnographic research, we look critically and cross-culturally at topics related to: contraception, family planning, fertility, pregnancy, birth, early childhood, motherhood, parenthood, child welfare interventions, media and popular cultural representations of motherhood, and labor and work, especially as these topics intersect with concerns related to nationhood, gender, sexuality, racism, class, socio-economic status, religion, politics, ethnicity, and cultural background.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.udel.edu/

Phone Number:

(302) 831-2000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

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