Bearing the weight of the world Exploring Maternal Embodiment

Bearing the weight of the world Exploring Maternal Embodiment
ISBN-10
1772582018
ISBN-13
9781772582017
Category
Social Science
Pages
260
Language
English
Published
2018-10-01
Publisher
Demeter Press
Author
Alys Einion

Description

The maternal body is a site of contested dynamics of power, identity, experience, autonomy, occupation, and control. Representations of the maternal body can mis/represent the childbearing and mothering form variously, often as monstrous, idealized, limited, scrutinized, or occupied, whilst dominant discourses limit motherhood through social devaluation. The maternal body has long been a hypervisible artifact: at once bracketed out in the interest of elevating the contributions of sperm-carriers or fetal status; and regarded with hostility and suspicion as out of control. Such arguments are deployed to justify surveillance mechanisms, medical scrutiny, and expectation of self-discipline.

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