Read: Ginsburg, Contested Lives

1. Ginsburg writes that the issue of abortion has come to stand for much larger concerns in American life, often referred to as "culture wars." Ginsburg highlights issues of changing women's roles, constructions of home and workplace, and conceptions of nurturance. How do pro-life and pro-choice activists differ in their perceptions of these issues?

2. The attitudes toward abortion of those who identity as pro-life and those who identify as pro-choice seem clear, but Ginsburg demonstrates that the logic behind these positions may vary quite a bit. What are some of the reasons that activists give for their positions? Were you surprised by any of them?

3. One of Ginsburg's central concerns is to chronicle abortion activists' explanations of their involvement in the issue. How do life histories help her to do so? How do activists on both sides link their own experiences to the broader history of abortion and women's roles?

4. What insights does Ginsburg's book provide about why some people, but not others, become activists?

5. How is activism on the abortion issue linked to other kinds of civic engagement and community relations in Fargo, North Dakota?

6. What personal and intellectual dilemmas did Ginsburg face in doing her research? How would you assess her position vis-a-vis her informants?

Journal Entry #8: Procreation Stories and Abortion (due in class on April 4 and by email to aleshkow[at]holycross.edu).

In doing her research with activists on the abortion issue, most of them women, Ginsburg found that their views were forged through personal experiences with life cycle transitions. By relating these "procreation stories," Ginsburg hopes to explain how attitudes toward abortion are formed and why women choose to become politically active as a consequence.

For this journal entry, you are to consider how personal experiences and life histories shape one's opinion on the moral and legal question of abortion. You may choose to write the entry about yourself or about someone else. If you write about yourself, begin by articulating your views on the question. Then, think about how you came to develop these views. What influences and expeiences have shaped your thinking? If you choose to write about someone else, you might want to pick someone older who perhaps might have personal procreation stories like those in Ginsburg's book. First, ask your interviewee to articulate his or her attitudes toward abortion. Then, ask about when those attitudes emerged clearly for your interviewee. Were there moments or experiences that stand out as shaping those attitudes? Have your interviewee's views changed or developed over time? How? Why? What experiences with procreation has that person had, and how have these shaped attitudes toward abortion?

Use your journal entry to relate the details of your own or your interviewee's opinions and experiences. Then, consider what this example suggests about the role of context and personal experience in shaping moral views. How does it lead you to evaluate Ginsburg's argument?

Important Note: If you choose to interview someone, please keep in mind the sensitive nature of this topic and the personal experiences you will be discussing. In keeping with anthropological ethical conventions, inform your interviewee that you will keep his/her identity confidential by changing names and altering other identifying details. When we discuss interviews in class, please be careful to preserve your interviewee's privacy and any requests not to reveal particular information. Inform your interviewee that your written journal entry will be submitted to your professor and will not be seen by anyone else.

For more information, contact: aleshkow@holycross.edu