Reproduction, Globalization, and the State

“Building on Faye Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp’s pathbreaking work, Carole H. Browner and Carolyn F. Sargent’s Reproduction, Globalization, and the State situates anthropological approaches to globalizing and gendered practices, politics, and policies of reproduction firmly in the twenty-first century. This rich collection of multisited studies contributes to multidisciplinary approaches to global ethnography and will enliven debates in research and teaching alike.”—Gail Kligman, author of The Politics of Duplicity: Controlling Reproduction in Ceauşescu’s Romania
“These fascinating and provocative essays represent some of the most exciting scholarship on the anthropology of reproduction.”—Lynn M. Morgan, author of Icons of Life: A Cultural History of Human Embryos
“This welcome, timely collection illuminates the rapidly transforming landscape of reproduction worldwide by bringing together case studies by outstanding ethnographers known for their research on reproduction. Each contributor demonstrates an impressive grip on local circumstances, while also showing how those circumstances are inevitably shaped by state policies or inaction. The editors’ introduction explains the sophisticated theoretical and methodological approaches brought to bear throughout the collection, and Rayna Rapp’s foreword and Didier Fassin’s epilogue sharpen the framework of a book that will set the standard for research on reproduction and globalization for the next decade.”—Faye Ginsburg, co-editor of Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction
“Reproduction, Globalization, and the State is an important contribution to global debates on reproductive health and rights, since it serves as a
welcome reminder that reproduction, despite its universality as a central feature of human societies, never takes place in a vacuum.” -- Andrea Lynch * Gender and Development *
“The themes presented in this volume are highly topical; the complexities of studying the local and the global, the micro and the macro, are well illustrated; and the theoretical notions the chapters build on are clearly explained. These three qualities, together with a thought-provoking foreword by Rayna Rapp and epilogue by Didier Fassin, make this volume highly recommendable for academics and others interested in the field of reproduction and globalization.” -- Trudie Gerrits * Medische Antropologie *
“This book is not only geographically wide ranging but it also encompasses many aspects of human reproduction…. Browner and Sargent have found room in this volume for scholarship on many diverse aspects of individuals’ reproductive journeys. . . . These aspects make it a refreshing, illuminating and diverse read[…]… At a point where concerns over the availability of funding for the social sciences are paramount, this book reminds us of the importance of social science research regarding men and women’s reproductive lives.” -- Samantha Murphy * Sociology of Health & Illness *
“This is a diverse and unique collection of ethnographies that illustrates the various complexities of reproduction and reproductive health for women and men. The strength of the volume is the attempt to conceptualize human agency and the exploration of how reproduction in varying communities are influenced by global and state institutions, policies, ideologies, and biotechnology.” -- Dana Chalupa * Gendered Perspectives on International Development *
It is refreshing to find a well-written, cohesive edited volume. . . . Professionals and students alike should find this work appealing; it can serve as an introduction to pivotal issues in the field, yet also delves into key theoretical concepts and methodological approaches in health policy, gender studies, public health, and anthropology. The book is theoretically rich without being overly dense, and this winning combination stands
a good chance of bringing anthropological theory and methods into the boardrooms of policymakers.” -- Vania Smith-Oka * Studies in Family Planning *