A multi-vocal narrative exploration of the impacts of criminalisation of abortion on everyday life
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
This project is a collaboration between Queen Mary's School of English, School of Geography and Amnesty International. It applies creative writing techniques to social science research to develop a creative methodology that addresses the impact of criminalisation of abortion on everyday life in Ireland, Northern Ireland (NI) and England. With abortion now decriminalised in NI and legalised in Ireland, there are opportunities to analyse if and how the legal status of decriminalisation/legalisation differs from the regime of criminalisation. Difficulties in the setting up of services, stigma and a strong anti-choice presence in these regions means that legal changes have not automatically created abortion access. England, in practice, has a more permissive abortion law, since the 1967 Act legalised abortions on certain grounds, yet it still homes abortion in the criminal code. These three neighbouring jurisdictions demonstrate how reproduction is a site of contestation, state power and control, and this important moment of legal transition offers an opportunity to critically analyse the effects of criminalisation. This project offers an important contribution to our understanding of the criminalisation of reproduction through an arts-based experimental research methodology and writing practice.
Collaborating with participants in each region, the project will develop the literary genre of auto-theory to generate a multi-vocal narrative that theorises the impacts of abortion criminalisation and centre the voices of those with experience living under different abortion regimes. The research will investigate how criminalisation is experienced; how criminalisation organises and regulates bodies; and how these experiences penetrate beyond a law change. The project will be situated in a framework of queer feminist theory - which has critiqued reproduction as a site through which bodies are organised - and literature that explores lived experiences of abortion in terms of access.
Amnesty International's Gender, Sexuality and Identity research team has expertise in abortion policy and has identified research into the impacts of criminalisation of the body as a key priority. Adding to Amnesty's research and academic scholarship on abortion criminalisation, this project will develop a creative, experimental, feminist research methodology that de-centres the storyteller and shares the power of narrative construction with those whose story is being told. Both of these outcomes will benefit Amnesty and the practice-based policy world. They further contribute to LAHP's priority to create a 'transformative method of engagement and practice to address inequity and marginalisation'. The outputs will be: 1) creative - a multivocal narrative novel; 2) critical - research papers on the impacts of abortion criminalisation, and the literary methodology; 3) impactful - Amnesty publications/dissemination of research via Amnesty.
Collaborating with participants in each region, the project will develop the literary genre of auto-theory to generate a multi-vocal narrative that theorises the impacts of abortion criminalisation and centre the voices of those with experience living under different abortion regimes. The research will investigate how criminalisation is experienced; how criminalisation organises and regulates bodies; and how these experiences penetrate beyond a law change. The project will be situated in a framework of queer feminist theory - which has critiqued reproduction as a site through which bodies are organised - and literature that explores lived experiences of abortion in terms of access.
Amnesty International's Gender, Sexuality and Identity research team has expertise in abortion policy and has identified research into the impacts of criminalisation of the body as a key priority. Adding to Amnesty's research and academic scholarship on abortion criminalisation, this project will develop a creative, experimental, feminist research methodology that de-centres the storyteller and shares the power of narrative construction with those whose story is being told. Both of these outcomes will benefit Amnesty and the practice-based policy world. They further contribute to LAHP's priority to create a 'transformative method of engagement and practice to address inequity and marginalisation'. The outputs will be: 1) creative - a multivocal narrative novel; 2) critical - research papers on the impacts of abortion criminalisation, and the literary methodology; 3) impactful - Amnesty publications/dissemination of research via Amnesty.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Sydney Calkin (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Ella Berny (Student) |