Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

At the intersection of debates about religion, private morality and public policy, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are lightning rods of controversy in most societies. While the pandemic revealed the precariousness of some advances, a wave of ethno-nationalism and conservative populism has brought a sharp backlash against SRHR in many countries across the globe, including the United States. Drawing on examples from multiple regions, as well as in supra-national human rights forums, the reading group will critically explore strategies used to assert legal claims relating to SRHR of LGBTIQ+ persons; involuntary sterilization; abortion; maternal health care; obstetric violence; and assisted reproductive/gestative technologies. We will discuss strengths and limitations of advancing reproductive justice through human rights law; and contested narratives about health, sexuality and dignity embedded in SRHR claims.

Note: This reading group will meet on the following dates: 9/11, 9/25, 10/10, 10/23, 11/6, 11/20