Philosophy of Birth - A Vibrant and Growing Field of Contemporary Critical Thought
Birth care brings to the fore fascinating philosophical questions: is a person in labour a subject with full rights in practice as well as in theory? Can they exercise their autonomy in a situation of maximum vulnerability? How do agency, capacity, and pain intertwine during and between contractions? Birth poses key questions relating to knowledge, freedom, gender, and what it means to be a human being.
Through the lived experiences of women, illuminated by the insights from the vibrant new field of the philosophy of birth, the Philosophy of Birth Network aims to explore how we understand the practices that bring us into being, challenging widely-held assumptions about rationality and agency in the delivery suite."
The Philosophy of Birth Network will engage in translational philosophy, of relevance for both philosophers and birth practitioners. The Network is open to all working at the intersection of conceptual and empirical approaches to values-based medicine, philosophy of birth, obstetrics, and midwifery (as well philosophy of medicine and medical humanities). We welcome academics, health care professionals, policy makers, and experts by experience.
Register for the Launch Day here!
