This is a one-day workshop hosted by the University of Kent, as a collaboration between the Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Reproduction (CISoR), the Centre for Parenting Culture Studies (CPCS) and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.<\/p>\n
Thursday 29 June 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n Organisers: Dr Ellie Lee (SSPSSR) and Professor Sally Sheldon (Kent Law School), University of Kent<\/strong><\/p>\n This event is one of a number taking place during 2017, the year of the 50th<\/sup> Anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act. In common with other events, its aim is to promote critical reflection about this legislation. In the academic literature, one widely commented-on feature of the British abortion law is its \u2018medicalisation\u2019; that is, the centrality given by law to medical opinion in deciding on access to abortion procedures. While this feature of the abortion legislation has generated a great deal of academic analysis and discussion in the disciplines of law, ethics and sociology, research and discussion about the opinions and experiences of doctors themselves<\/em> is notably, and curiously, absent from research. The main purpose of this event is to place \u2018medical opinion\u2019, as it operates in practice at the centre of a discussion about abortion provision.<\/p>\n The programme takes \u2018conscience\u2019 as its core theme. Part of the discussion will consider conscientious objection; its place in abortion legislation (in the 1967 Abortion Act, and in legislation in other jurisdictions) and the issues raised by its invocation by doctors as they \u2018opt out\u2019 of abortion provision. In addition to this consideration of \u2018doctors who don\u2019t\u2019, however, we will also focus on \u2018doctors who do\u2019 through discussion about research that considers the experience of doctors who work to provide abortions.<\/p>\n The day will begin with a presentation by Professor Sally Sheldon about the history of medical opinion in the development of British Abortion law, based on work for the project \u2018The Abortion Act: A Biography<\/a>\u2019. The programme includes discussion about research considering abortion provision in England based on new research led by Dr Ellie Lee, but we will also widen the lens and benefit from a comparative focus. We are delighted to be able to include Dr Lori Freedman and Professor Wendy Chavkin from the US as presenters.<\/p>\n Jennie Bristow<\/strong><\/a>, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University<\/p>\n Wendy Chavkin<\/strong><\/a>, Professor Emerita Population and Family Health and Obstetrics and Gynecology<\/p>\n Sylvia De Zordo<\/strong><\/a>, Senior Researcher, ERC Starting Grant and Ram\u00f3n y Cajal Fellow, University of Barcelona, Dept. of Anthropology<\/p>\n Lori Freedman<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California<\/p>\n Ann Furedi<\/strong>, CEO British Pregnancy Advisory Service<\/p>\n Kate Greasley<\/strong><\/a>, Lecturer in Law University College London<\/p>\n Lesley Hoggart<\/strong><\/a>, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the Open University<\/p>\n Ellie Lee<\/strong><\/a>, Director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent<\/p>\n Patricia Lohr<\/strong>, Medical Director, British Pregnancy Advisory Service<\/p>\n Joanna Mishtal<\/strong><\/a>, Associate Professor, Cultural\/Medical Anthropology, University of Central Florida<\/p>\n Mary Neal<\/strong><\/a>, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Strathclyde<\/p>\n\n
Participants<\/h2>\n