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Dissertation
Radical Doulas Make "Caring a Political Act": Full-spectrum Birthwork as Reproductive Justice Activism
Dissertations and Theses
  • JaDee Yvonne Carathers, Portland State University
First Advisor
Maura Kelly
Term of Graduation
Spring 2019
Date of Publication
6-5-2019
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Sociology
Department
Sociology
Language
English
Subjects
  • Doulas -- Attitudes,
  • Reproductive rights
Disciplines
DOI
10.15760/etd.7370
Physical Description
1 online resource (vii, 90 pages)
Abstract

This study, based on in-depth interviews with 30 self-identified radical doulas working in the US, describes the radical practices, positionality, and orientation towards reproductive justice that distinguish these care workers from mainstream doulas. Radical doulas provide nonjudgmental support in a full-spectrum of reproductive experiences from menarche to menopause according to the needs of their clients. As non-medically trained care workers, they provide informational, emotional, and physical support during abortion, birth and postpartum, fetal loss, adoption, or surrogacy, enacting individualized skill sets across settings from homes to hospitals and clinics. Radical doulas are paid professionals, but often offer a sliding-scale for fees, or volunteer their services in specific instances, like abortion or loss. Their willingness to serve pregnant people regardless of the outcome (i.e. abortion, birth, loss), or the context (i.e. medicated or non-medicated, in a hospital, or at home), and with attention to the mechanisms of social oppression and marginalization, make radical doulas unique care workers who defy the institutional logics of medicalized reproductive healthcare.

Rights

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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33450
Citation Information
JaDee Yvonne Carathers. "Radical Doulas Make "Caring a Political Act": Full-spectrum Birthwork as Reproductive Justice Activism" (2019)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jadee-carathers/7/