Feminism and the Politics of Abortion

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course surveys feminist politics on abortion both historically and in the contemporary moment, with particular attention to abortion activism just before the Roe decision until the post-Dobbs present. We will draw on investigative journalism, academic research, and activist literature/movements to conceptualize both the feminist politics of abortion and resistance to government restrictions on access to reproductive healthcare. The course emphasizes the multifaceted ways feminists (both in the US and elsewhere) have conceptualized abortion and reproductive politics as well as frameworks of care, solidarity, and resistance. The course takes special interest in the ever-evolving post-Dobbs landscape by incorporating both current events and histories of the anti-abortion movement of the United States.