Reading Reproductive (In)justice

How might the representation of reproductive injustices in literature, visual art, and film inform our conceptions of and fight for reproductive justice? In this discussion-driven first-year seminar, we will consider artistic renderings of reproductive injustices from the nineteenth century to the present, alongside theories of gender and sexuality. In taking up the Black feminist framework of reproductive justice, we will attend to violations of not only the right to be a parent and the right not to be a parent, but also the right to parent in a supportive and safe environment. Through this work, we will better understand the debates over reproductive freedom, especially in relation to difference, and engage in the work of theorizing reproductive justice for ourselves. Texts include Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Annie Ernaux’s Happening, Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.