Abortion, contraception, infertility. Anthropology of reproduction

elective courses
general courses

The course will focus on the presentation and analysis of several problem areas related to fertility and reproduction, which are currently the subject of cultural disputes and therefore an area of increased social reflexivity. We will look at ways of identifying the needs of different social groups, defining problems and creating institutions that aim to solve them.

We will look at issues such as infertility treatment and fertility management, procreation strategies of GSD people, pro-choice and pro-life activities, ways of dealing with failure and reproductive problems. The tools we will use for reflection and critically look at will be the concepts of reproductive rights and reproductive justice. The analysis of the texts will be complemented by workshops with invited guests, either experts or activists. Students are encouraged to share their ideas regarding the program of classes and workshops.

The course will focus on the presentation and analysis of several problem areas related to fertility and reproduction, which are currently the subject of cultural disputes and therefore an area of increased social reflexivity. We will look at ways of identifying the needs of different social groups, defining problems and creating institutions that aim to solve them.

We will look at issues such as infertility treatment and fertility management, procreation strategies of GSD people, pro-choice and pro-life activities, ways of dealing with failure and reproductive problems. The tools we will use for reflection and critically look at will be the concepts of reproductive rights and reproductive justice. The analysis of the texts will be complemented by workshops with invited guests, either experts or activists. Students are encouraged to share their ideas regarding the program of classes and workshops.

Preliminary list of proposed guests:

– Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Leczenia Niepłodności i Wspierania Adopcji Nasz Bocian (in vitro, infertility)

– Instytut Rodziny (naprotechnology, infertility)

– Polskie Stowarzyszenie Nauczycieli NPR („natural family planning”)

– Fundacja Pro – Prawo do Życia / Fundacja Życie i Rodzina (pro-life)

– Misja „Nie jesteś sama” (pro-life)

– Aborcyjny Dream Team / Aborcja bez Granic (pro-choice)

– Fundacja na rzecz Kobiet i Planowania Rodziny (pro-choice)

– Fundacja Tęczowe Rodziny (GSD paretnhood)

– prenatal loss therapy (Winnica Racheli, NEST, Fundacja Medycyny Prenatalnej)

– Warszawskie Hospicjum dla Dzieci (perinatal hospice)

Initial suggested reading list:

– Radkowska-Walkowicz M. Doświadczenie in vitro. Niepłodność i nowe technologie reprodukcyjne w perspektywie antropologicznej, Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Warszawa 2013 (fragment).

– Alice M. Miller, Seksualne, lecz nie reprodukcyjne. Prawa seksualne a prawa reprodukcyjne, w: Antropologia seksualności. Teoria, etnografia, zastosowanie, red. A Kościańska, przeł. M. Petryk, WUW, Warszawa 2012.

– Ewelina Wejbert-Wąsiewicz, Jakie wnioski można wyciągnąć z badań socjologicznych na temat aborcji?, w: A jak hipokryzja. Antologia tekstów o aborcji, władzy, pieniądzach i sprawiedliwości, red. C. Snochowska-Gonzalez, Wydawnictwo O Matko!, Warszawa 2011.

– Krystyna Dzwonkowska-Godula, Sprawiedliwość reprodukcyjna – od feministycznego postulatu do naukowej koncepcji, „Avant” 2020, nr 3.

– Agnieszka Król, Niepełnosprawność i sprawiedliwość reprodukcyjna. Zarys wybranych zagadnień dotyczących kobiet z niepełnosprawnościami, „Studia de Cultura” 2018, nr 1.

– Wybrane publikacje: projektu „Rodziny z wyboru”: http://rodzinyzwyboru.pl/publikacje-i-raporty/, badań transrodzicielstwa: https://tranzycja.pl/media/docs/rodzina/raport_rodzina.pdf oraz projektu „Katolicyzacja reprodukcji”: https://etnologia.uw.edu.pl/katorep

Learning outcomes:

After completing the class course, the student:

- is able to use anthropological tools to analyse the cultural conditions of the spheres of sexuality and reproduction;

- is able to identify ideological conditions of the concept of fertility and research on reproduction as well as to assess their influence on the shape of public discourse;

- is able to reflect on the public debate regarding reproductive rights and the cultural aspects related to them.

K_W01, K_W03, K_W05

K_U01, K_U07, K_U10

K_K01, K_K02, K_K05

Pass: on the basis of attendance and activity during classes (participation in discussions, co-organisation of workshops), performing of several assignments on the google classroom platform and a team project (participation in creating the concept of studies in the field of gender and sexuality).

Some of the meetings with guestss can take place online, during class hours.

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