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Reproductive Justice: Illuminating the Intersectional Politics of Sexual and Reproductive Issues

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Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of reproductive justice as a movement, theory, and praxis and offers some foundations for a broad and inclusive notion of reproductive justice. The chapter comprises three parts. Part 1 provides a sketch of the origins of reproductive justice, explicating how the framework combines the notions of human rights and social justice. Part 2 offers a discussion of how the framework can be used in advocacy, coalition building, and research. Part 3 reviews some key developments in scholarship and praxis. To illustrate claims, examples from Aotearoa (New Zealand) are used, while also situating these in the international context, alongside global social issues and tensions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    A family cap denies mothers/families receiving welfare assistance and further financial aid after the birth of another child. This policy is enacted to limit “welfare dependence” in some parts of the United States and some other countries, such as South Korea and Singapore.

  2. 2.

    “Mana wāhine, often referred to as Māori feminist discourses, is a theoretical and methodological approach that explicitly examines the intersection of being Māori and female” (Simmonds, 2011, p. 11).

  3. 3.

    Takatāpui is a Māori word, historically meaning “intimate companion of the same sex”. The term was reclaimed in the 1980s and used as an alternative to Western ideas of sex, sexuality, and gender by gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other members of the “rainbow community” (takatāpui.nz).

  4. 4.

    A wicked problem is a complex and dynamic problem that is difficult to define, has no clear solution, and is often interconnected with other problems. It is often characterized by ambiguous or changing requirements, conflicting values, and multiple stakeholders with different perspectives and interests. Solving a wicked problem requires a holistic and collaborative approach, rather than a linear or technical solution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Tracy Morison

  2. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Jade Sophia Le Grice

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Correspondence to Tracy Morison .

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  1. University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    Eileen L. Zurbriggen

  2. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

    Rose Capdevila

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Morison, T., Le Grice, J.S. (2023). Reproductive Justice: Illuminating the Intersectional Politics of Sexual and Reproductive Issues. In: Zurbriggen, E.L., Capdevila, R. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Power, Gender, and Psychology . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41531-9_23

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