Managing social relationships for childless couples in pro-natalist societies can be a difficult art to master, and may even become an issue of belonging for both men and women. With ethnographic rese
As a biological, cultural, and social entity, the human fetus is a multifaceted subject which calls for equally diverse perspectives to fully understand. Anthropology of the Fetus seeks to achieve thi
Providing a ground-breaking investigation into the changing ideas of kinship in the Middle East, the author documents Islamic responses to assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertiliza
For students, pregnant women and their partners, doctors and midwives, childbirth educators, and others, Han (anthropology, State U. of New York at Oneonta) examines the everyday practices of ordinary
"This collection of ten essays is the latest major work to call for renewed attention to the topic [of kinship], especially with respect to contemporary questions of how cultures relate to nature...[I
All cultures are concerned with the business of childbirth, so much so that it can never be described as a purely physiological or even psychological event. This volume draws together work from a rang
While there has been increasing focus globally on women's health, the Western biomedical establishment still largely determines the agenda. To redress this situation, a summary of 157 ethnographies on
How and to what extent have Islamic legal scholars and Middle Eastern lawmakers, as well as Middle Eastern Muslim physicians and patients, grappled with the complex bioethical, legal, and social issue
This volume highlights the recent "Third Phase" of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs)—the opening up of ARTs to new constituencies in terms of ethnicity, geography, education
In Thailand, infertility remains a source of stigma for those couples that combine a range of religious, traditional and high-tech interventions in their quest for a child. This book explores this exp
"Assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization have provoked global controversy and ethical debate. This book provides a groundbreaking investigation into those debates in the Isla
Based on her fieldwork in a Mayan community in postwar Guatemala, Berry (health sciences, Simon Fraser U., Vancouver, BC) presents ethnographic vignettes in a case study of challenges facing, and effo
Sex is often regarded as a dangerous business that must be rigorously controlled, regulated, and subjected to rules. Sexual acts that defy acceptable practices may be seen as variously defiling, immo
Sex is often regarded as a dangerous business that must be rigorously controlled, regulated, and subjected to rules. Sexual acts that defy acceptable practices may be seen as variously defiling, immor
Anthropologist Faircloth (U. of Kent, UK) specializes in the study of parenting culture. This book presents her study of women in London and Paris who are participating in a trend termed attachment pa
The issue of abortion forces a confrontation with the effects of poverty and economic inequalities, local moral worlds, and the cultural and social perceptions of the female body, gender, and reproduc
After the September 2009 "Islam and the Biotechnologies of Human Life" conference at Yale University, a few scholars remained for two more days to discuss their papers, eventually transforming them in
In the Sitapurdistrict of Uttar Pradesh, an agricultural region with high rates of infant mortality, maternal health services are poor while family planning efforts are intensive. By following the dai
Babies are not simply born-they are made through cultural and social practices. Based on rich empirical work, this book examines the everyday experiences that mark pregnancy in the US today, such as r
This edited collection is a companion volume to The Globalization of Motherhood: Deconstructions and Reconstructions of Biology and Care. It examines the uneven and sometimes contradictory changes in
