This article examines assisted reproduction policy and practices in Germany and Poland. Germany is among the most restrictive countries in the European Union (EU) with respect to assisted reproductive technologies. In contrast, Poland only recently passed legislation regulating assisted reproductive technologies. Before this, most practices were unregulated, despite vocal opposition to all forms of IVF from conservative Roman Catholic activists. Germany and Poland differ significantly regarding the cultural narratives and historical experience that impact attitudes toward reproduction. In Germany, discussions on assisted reproduction often invoke concerns about medical intervention in ethically complex matters, due – in part – to the country’s National Socialist past. My objectives in this article centre on examining assisted reproduction contexts in each of these two countries, with attention to the framing of debates on reproduction, the anxieties that inform them, and the resulting paradoxes. I consider the unintended consequences of domestic policy and their importance regarding cross-border reproductive care (CBRC). Within the borderless EU, the widespread practice of CBRC demonstrates the ineffectiveness of national policies. Moreover, this shift in location can impact practices and trends found in other accessible, but less restrictive countries. Of particular concern are the relocation of risk to ‘bioavailable’ populations in less affluent countries and the reification of cultural and socio-economic hierarchies.
Post-communist realities have made it necessary for the media in East Central Europe to redefine their role. Yet politicians and journalists in the region hold a wide range of views about what that role should be. Although united for over fifty years, the newly independent Czech and Slovak republics have inherited significantly different economic and political conditions, which have contributed to differences in their respective press systems and to the development of very different relationships between the government and media. Yet despite divergent views on the media's role, media policy in both countries will be increasingly determined by economic factors. The following paper examines these issues.
The idea of a "Europe without borders" has been contested for the last decade and is increasingly overshadowed by rebordering phenomena. This development has sparked debates within border studies on how borders should be thought of and investigated. The introductory article deals with this and reconstructs the formation and differentiation of the bordering approach. Furthermore, the concept of border experiences is determined as an investigative perspective that is interested in everyday cultural arenas of bordering processes. It puts the agency of 'border(lands) residents' in the center and provides insights into everyday cultural border (re)productions. With this in mind, we will present the book articles in the final section.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.