Making Parents? Human reproduction and family life in contemporary society
A joint event from the British Sociological Associations Human Reproduction and Families and Relationships Study Groups
11 December 2015, 10-5.30pm
Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK, SW15 4JD
Confirmed keynote speakers:
- Dr. Nicky Hudson (Reader in Medical Sociology, Lead Reproduction Research Group, De Montfort University)
- Dr. Ellie Lee (Reader in Social Policy, Director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent)
Outline:
Whilst ‘Parenting Culture’ and ‘Assisted Reproductive Technologies’ are now well established subfields of sociological scholarship, so far, the common threads between these two bodies of work have not been significantly explored. Taking ‘reproduction’ as the locus of this comparison, this study day hopes to showcase novel contributions from scholars working in either field who are interested in creating such connections. In particular, we papers on the day will explore the ways contemporary cultures of parenthood create an appetite for these technologies, just as technologies simultaneously contribute to shaping those very cultures.
Theoretical, methodological, and empirical papers engaging with topics and themes include:
- Parenthood and identity, including narratives of expected, desired and disrupted reproduction
- Gendered expectations and experiences of reproduction and parenting
- The intensification of reproduction and parenting
- Parenting and/ as the individualization of a social problem
- Expertise, consumerism and anxiety in cultures of reproduction and parenting
- Dissonance between expectation and reality: negotiating (perceived) stigma, shame and judgment
We launched a new special section of Sociological Research Online at the event, ‘Gender, Intimacy and Equality’, edited by Dr Charlotte Faircloth and Dr Katherine Twamley. Details here Launch kindly sponsored by SRO.
Please contact Charlotte Faircloth with any queries (charlotte.faircloth@roehampton.ac.uk)