The Immigrant Midwives of Lawrence: The Conflict between Law and Culture in Early Twentieth-Century Massachusetts

Declercq, Eugene; Lacroix, R

doi:10.1515/9783110976328.309

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Pain relief advocates, supportive of the general inclination toward science and technology, became allied with physicians --what was then a predominantly male professional elite --who were making birth more 'scientific' (Starr 1982). Equally important is that midwives lacked the class privilege to act as an effective interest group and, divided by social class ethnic differences and with no sense of profession, they failed to work together to protect their own interests (Declercq & Lacroix 1985). A sociologist in the early twentieth century commented that midwives "are little used at the present time by women of native parentage" (Abbott 1915: 685).…”

Section: 6mentioning

confidence: 99%

Born in the USA: Exceptionalism in Maternity Care Organisation among High-Income Countries

Teijlingen

Wrede

Benoit

et al. 2009

Sociological Research Online

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In lay terms, childbirth is regarded as a purely biological event: what is more natural than birth and death? On the other hand, social scientists have long understood that ‘natural’ events are socially structured. In the case of birth, sociologists have examined the social and cultural shaping of its timing, outcome, and the organization of care throughout the perinatal period. Continuing in this tradition, we examine the peculiar social design of birth in the United States of America, contrasting this design with the ways birth is organised in Europe. We begin by showing how several key characteristics of the US health care system – including its inherent social inequality, its high level of medicalisation, and the substantial influence of private medical practice and insurance companies – influence the organization of maternity care there. We then explore how cultural characteristics of American society – its emphasis on individuality, the influence of moral conservatism in US politics, and the ease with which ordinary people take court action (the so-called ‘litigation culture’) – shape the delivery of care at birth. We conclude with a consideration of the implications of US maternity care exceptionalism for comparative sociological analysis.

show abstract

Section: 6mentioning

confidence: 99%