The Undercommons of Childbirth and Their Abolitionist Ethic of Care. A Study into Obstetric Violence Among Mothers, Midwives (in Training), and Doulas

Engaging in dialogue with critical mothers, midwives, midwives in training, and doulas in the Netherlands, this study furthers the theoretical understanding of both obstetric violence and the activist resistance against it. Obstetric violence is understood as part of a process of relational separati...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Waal, Rodante van der 1992- (Author) ; van Nistelrooij, Inge (Author) ; Leget, Carlo 1964- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Violence against women
Year: 2025, Volume: 31, Issue: 1, Pages: 155-181
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Midwifery
Birth
obstetric abolition
obstetric carcerality
obstetric violence
Description
Summary:Engaging in dialogue with critical mothers, midwives, midwives in training, and doulas in the Netherlands, this study furthers the theoretical understanding of both obstetric violence and the activist resistance against it. Obstetric violence is understood as part of a process of relational separation, leaving the pregnant person isolated. The activist resistance against it is consequently theorized as the abolitionist building of an alternative “otherworld” of radical relational care. The themes established are: (1) “institutionalized separation” with the subtheme's “expropriation,” “carcerality,” and “obstetric violence;” and (2) “undercommoning childbirth” with subthemes “fugitive planning,” “anarchic relationality,” and “obstetric abolition.”
ISSN:1552-8448
DOI:10.1177/10778012231205591