First-Year Seminars 110RT - Reproductive Rights and the State

What is the role of governments in regulating human reproduction? How has this changed throughout the 20th and 21st century? Is reproduction an area of our private lives that should be left outside the realm of government? Or is the state actually needed to safeguard our reproductive rights? This course analyzes the history of reproductive policies in the US and compares it with cases from the global South. From family planning to population control, from woman's right to reproductive justice, we will analyze the evolution of language to name this policy arena and the way this has affected policy design. Through the use of a variety of primary and secondary sources, this course will help students improve their critical thinking, argumentative writing, and analytical skills.

Mount Holyoke first-year students only, by placement.