1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910459299103321

Autore

Macleod Catriona I.

Titolo

'Adolescence', Pregnancy and Abortion : Constructing a Threat of Degeneration / / by Catriona I. Macleod

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Boca Raton, FL : , : Routledge, , 2010

ISBN

1-136-92341-1

1-136-92343-8

0-203-84490-4

Edizione

[First edition.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (181 p.)

Collana

Women and psychology

Disciplina

306.874/3

Soggetti

Sex instruction for teenagers

Teenage pregnancy

Abortion

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

COVER; TITLE; COPYRIGHT; CONTENTS; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; ABBREVIATIONS; 1 SETTING THE SCENE; 2 ADOLESCENCE AS TRANSITION?; 3 CONUNDRUMS: Sex education, `teenage pregnancy', and decision-making in the context of abortion; 4 CONSTRUCTING A THREAT OF DEGENERATION: The invention of and research practices concerning the `social problem' of `teenage pregnancy'; 5 YOUNG WOMEN AND LEGALIZED ABORTION: The new `social problem'; 6 OTHERING: Race, culture and `teenage pregnancy'/abortion; 7 MANAGING THE THREAT OF DEGENERATION; 8 FROM `TEENAGE PREGNANCY' TO UNWANTED PREGNANCY; REFERENCES; INDEX

Sommario/riassunto

Winner of the Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor's Book Award 2012! Winner of the 2011 Distinguished Publication Award of the Association for Women in Psychology! Why, despite evidence to the contrary, does the narrative of the negative consequences of teenage pregnancy, abortion and childbearing persist? This book argues that the negativity surrounding early reproduction is underpinned by a particular understanding of adolescence. It traces the invention of "adolescence" and the imaginary wall that the notion constructs between young



people and adults. Macleod examines the entrenched status of "adolescence" within a colonialist discourse that equates development of the individual with the development of civilisation, and the consequent threat of degeneration that "adolescence" implies. Many important issues are explored, such as the invention of teenage pregnancy and abortion as a social problem; issues of race, culture and tradition in relation to teenage pregnancy; and health service provider practices, specifically in relation to managing risk. In the final chapter, an argument is made for a shift from the signifier "teenage pregnancy" to "unwanted pregnancy". Using data gathered from studies worldwide, this book highlights central issues in the global debate concerning teenage pregnancy. It is ideal for academics, and students of health psychology, women’s studies, nursing and sociology, as well as practitioners in the fields of youth and social work, medicine and counselling.