Ginsburg, Faye, and Rayna Rapp. “The Politics of Reproduction.” Annual Review of Anthropology, no. 20 (1991): 311–43. http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.an.20.100191.001523.
Annotation
In this article the authors describe a “politics of reproduction,” which connects global and local reproductive policies and practices, situating reproduction within its cultural and political context. The authors do a review of various sociocultural and biomedical subtopics, simultaneously calling for greater research on each area and summarizing key insights to date. While men are mentioned at times, the focus is primarily on women’s experiences of reproduction. Children’s health and points of view are largely not discussed. The authors note a feminist activist framework, considering reproduction as a source of both power and oppression, and call for more scholarship in the area. Written from an anthropological point of view, this article engages cultural practices and political systems that shape reproduction, rather than focusing on individual experiences or social movements. While the article explores impacts of oppression, colonial power, and male supremacy, analysis is broad and offers summary overview of multiple areas of scholarship. An essential read for anthropologists interested in reproduction.Resource
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