A Companion to the Anthropology of Reproductive Medicine and Technology
Edited by Cecilia C. Van Hollen and Nayantara Sheoran Appleton
About the book
A Companion to the Anthropology of Reproductive Medicine and Technology provides a timely and comprehensive overview of the anthropological study of reproductive practices, technologies, and interventions in a global context. Exploring the medical and technological management of human reproduction through a sociocultural lens, this groundbreaking edited volume reviews past and current research, discusses contemporary debates and recent theoretical developments, introduces key themes and trends, examines ongoing issues of equity, inclusivity, and reproductive justice around the world, and more.
Using clear, jargon-free language, the authors investigate pregnancy and childbirth; fertility treatments; birth control, contraception and abortion; COVID-19 and reproduction; reproductive cancers; epigenetics; social discrimination; gender and sexualities and reproduction for LGBTQIA+ communities; race and reproduction; migration and reproduction; reproduction and war; reproductive health financing; reproduction and disabilities, reproduction and the environment; and other important contemporary topics.
With an Introduction, 28 Chapters, a Conclusion and an Epilogue, this handbook is an essential resource for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and scholars in medical anthropology, science technology and society, cultural anthropology, ethnology, and gender studies, as well as medical practitioners, policymakers, and activists involved in global and public health and reproductive justice.
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Reviews
“A magnificently capacious volume, that enlivens the argument that reproduction sits at the heart of all of anthropological theory, and profoundly makes the case that reproductive justice is earth justice.”
— Elizabeth Roberts, University of Michigan
“This important and passionate volume is a landmark manifestation of anthropological insight in the field of reproductive medicine. The volume highlights deeply embodied human experiences, while also offering critical analyses of the gendered political economies that shape procreative conditions across uneven global terrains. This is an indispensable resource for 21st century studies of human reproduction.”
— Tine M. Gammeltoft, University of Copenhagen
“Van Hollen and Appleton have curated a stunning compendium on reproduction. The Companion to the Anthropology of Reproductive Medicine and Technology is essential to understanding the landscape of reproduction. The breadth of subject matter covered and the contributions provide an excellent map of the field of the anthropology of reproduction. The editors have done an incredible job of bringing together rich scholarship that is fundamental across disciplines.”
— Dana-Ain Davis, City University of New York