New Books in Anthropology

Aideen O’Shaughnessy, "Embodying Irish Abortion Reform: Bodies, Emotions, and Feminist Activism" (Bristol UP, 2024)

Sep 21, 2024

Aideen O'Shaughnessy, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Lincoln, explores Ireland's abortion reform through her new book. She delves into the emotional complexities and bodily experiences of activists influenced by the 8th Amendment. O'Shaughnessy highlights key moments, like the tragic case of Savita Halapanavar, that spurred public backlash and activism. The podcast also discusses strategic framing in the abortion referendum campaign and the ongoing challenges after the repeal, revealing the intense interplay of agency and stigma in women's reproductive rights.

47:20

Episode guests

Aideen O'Shaughnessy

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast highlights how the Eighth Amendment's restrictive policies instilled fear and anxiety in women, shaping their reproductive experiences and healthcare choices.

It emphasizes the pivotal role of emotional narratives in the 2018 referendum campaign, effectively mobilizing support for the repeal of Ireland's abortion ban.

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Intro

1min

Exploring Embodied Perspectives in Irish Abortion Reform

3min

Navigating Abortion Politics in Ireland

13min

Confrontation and Change: Pro-Choice Activism in 2010s Ireland

4min

Savita Halapanovar and the Repeal Movement

11min

Strategic Framing in the Irish Abortion Referendum Campaign

5min

Revising Reproductive Rights in Ireland

8min

Dr. Aideen O'Shaughnessy is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Lincoln. She has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Cambridge, an MA in Gender Studies Research from Utrecht University and a BA in Sociology and French at Trinity College Dublin. Her research focuses on gender, health, and social movements and she is particularly interested in the study of reproductive health, rights, and justice. She has published widely in journals including Body and Society, the European Journal of Women's Studies, and the BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Embodying Irish Abortion Reform: Bodies, Emotions, and Feminist Activism (Bristol UP, 2024) explores the lived, embodied and affective experiences of reproductive rights activists living under, and mobilizing against, Ireland’s constitutional abortion ban.

Through qualitative research and in-depth interviews with activists, the author exposes the subtle influence of the 8th Amendment on Irish women and their (reproductive) bodies, whether or not they have ever attempted to access a clandestine abortion.

It explains how the everyday embodied practices, bodily labours and affective experiences of women and gestating people were shaped by the 8th amendment and through the need to ‘prepare’ for crisis pregnancies. In addition, it reveals the integral role of women’s bodies and emotions in changing the political and social landscape in Ireland, through the historical transformation of the country’s abortion laws.

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