In Turkey, the Justice and Development Party government has introduced new regulations about reproductive rights, and shifted family and gender policies. Women's central role in reproductive and domestic work was swiftly reaffirmed, and abortion and IVF were newly debated. Taking Turkey as the case study, this is the first book to examine the various ways neoliberal modes of governing women's bodies interact with conservative and authoritarian measures.
The contributions focus on reproduction, maternity and sexuality, to explore the three main areas of governmental interventions into the female body. Topics for discussion include: the expansion of IVF and egg markets, the privatization of gynaecological and obstetrical care, differential treatment of poor and ethnic minority women's fertility/sexuality, and women's multiple responses to these shifts. While focusing on Turkey, the book presents analytical tools applicable under rising authoritarianisms and conservatisms worldwide.
'Captivating book on the complex relationships between women's bodies and state, medicine, and religion in the new Turkey. An original and fascinating collection of empirically grounded papers on women's bodies, sexualities, agency, and politics. It provides a range of ethnographies from egg freezings to egg selling, from c-sections to abortion, from fatwas to Islamic fashion. Deeply theorized ethnographies discuss the discourses of sexuality and reproduction. The reader almost hears the voices of women in the beautiful writings of brilliant young scholars. A must-read for scholars of New Turkey, feminism, and sexualities.'
