Feminism and the "woman equals mother" discourse in reproductive politics in Australia.

This thesis explores the persistence of a ‘woman equals mother’ discourse within the terrain of reproductive politics in Australia. It finds that women are reduced to an essentialised maternal subjectivity through the deployment of an underlying ‘woman equals mother’ discourse across a range of feminist, medical/health and media discourses in Australia. Using abortion and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) as case studies, this thesis suggests that dominant feminist and mainstream discourses on abortion and ART remain located within three main frameworks, those of ‘rights/choice’, ‘moral/ethical’ and ‘health/medical’. All three discourses privilege a view of maternal subjectivity as essential to normative womanhood. While abortion and ART are often situated as separate or even opposing areas of reproductive politics, examining these two sites of reproductive practice alongside one another draws attention to the connections between these two seemingly disparate fields of reproductive practice. Specifically it enables us to identify the strength and persistence of a ‘woman equals mother’ discourse across these realms of reproductive practice. This thesis analyses the contributing factors behind the persistence of this discourse. The first three chapters in the thesis examine key feminist approaches towards abortion and ART in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, focusing in particular on the liberal philosophical tradition, the neo-liberal context and its influence upon feminist and mainstream approaches in these areas. These chapters explore the shift within some feminist arguments toward a ‘moral’ defence of abortion, based upon values arising from mothering and motherhood. The last two chapters examine the theoretical dilemmas and contradictions arising out of the approaches examined in the first part of the thesis in relation to two specific debates surrounding abortion and ART that took place in Australia between 2000 and 2007. They examine public discourses contained within newsprint media coverage of debates concerning lesbian and single women’s access to ART. Utilising a feminist discourse analysis approach and drawing upon the work of Ferree, Gerhards, Gamson and Rucht (2002) and their concept of discursive opportunity structure, the thesis explores how particular meanings and social problem definitions come to be privileged within public discourse. It is argued that the combination of a strong liberal legacy within feminist arguments combined with particular elements of the social-political context in Australia in the period under consideration reinforced a ‘woman equals mother’ discourse in reproductive politics. Central to this discourse are ideas centred on notions of ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ women based upon essentialised notions of (heterosexual) women as mothers and informed by an increasing ‘moralisation of health’. The pregnant body and, by extension, women’s bodies are reduced to those of ‘mothers’, ‘potential mothers’ or ‘non-mothers’ within these debates. This thesis considers the implications of these understandings for alternative feminist accounts of women, reproduction and ‘family’ within reproductive politics in Australia.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 201

Social inclusion, and the power of being ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ in 2018

Whose experiences, lives and values do we have most access to, and whose voices end up being heard or privileged? What does ‘visibility’ really mean in a world with a 24-hour media cycle, the opening up and democratisation of participatory models fuelled by social media, and increasing opportunities for direct representation which bypass traditional gatekeepers of information dissemination? From the protest at this year’s World Cup final carried out by Russian feminist musicians and activist group Pussy Riot, to the Black Lives Matter movement, and the increasing popular resistance to the detention of asylum seekers in Australia, we see increasing examples of the lived experiences of those kept ‘out of view’

Targeting the 'hard to reach': re/producing stigma?

Social service providers, policy makers and researchers are increasingly 'targeting the hard to reach'. Ostensibly, targeting the hard to reach appears to be an innocuous and logical, if not laudable goal. From a critical social work perspective, however, it may be seen to pose some hazardous possibilities for oppressed and stigmatised groups, particularly in the context of welfare austerity. Our discussion responds to, and is organised by, five key questions: (1) How do we understand critical social work and welfare austerity? (2) Who usually gets constituted as hard to reach? (3) Why target hard-to-reach groups? (4) What hazardous possibilities may occur in the process of targeting? and; (5) How might critical social workers engage and support the hard to reach without re/producing stigma

Not just a 2018 phenomena: The 'war on truth' continues

Time Magazine has named its 2018 person of the year as the ‘guardians of truth', namely four journalists who were slain or detained for their efforts in getting to ‘the truth’ of the story (Vick, 2018). Although much of the media focus and discussions on the ‘war on truth’ are attributed to President Trump’s penchant for deriding journalists and their journalism as ‘fake news’, the ‘war on truth’ is not a unique or recent phenomenon, but rather, one that has raged throughout time - in particular for less powerful groups. However, the overt nature of recent attacks on the media and a constant stream of alternative facts have made the ‘war on truth’ more visible, and the global community more conscious of these issues. Concordantly, it is not only minorities whose experiences have taught them to question whose truth is being privileged and why, but a broader phenomenon with more and more people now questioning what is the truth, or whose truth is being pushed and for what purpose

Social inclusion in a 'risk society': Identifying the barriers and facilitators of inclusion across different communities and contexts

In this edition of JoSI we are pleased to present a collection of six papers that explore social inclusion issues as applied to children, young people and people with disabilities across different settings and geographic locations. In various ways this issue examines how meaningful progress in social inclusion can be achieved. Many of the suggested ways forward are discussed in the context of policies and practices reflective of risk averse tendencies that can, implicitly or explicitly, reproduce restrictive assumptions about not only the nature of ‘children’, ‘young people’ or ‘disability,’ but also about what is possible

Why are we waiting? The urgent need for NSPS in Australian prisons

There are currently no needle and syringe programs (NSPs) operating in any Australian prisons. This is despite a growing body of international research clearly demonstrating that NSPs have been shown to be safe, beneficial and cost-effective within a variety of prison settings. The continuing high rates of blood borne viruses (BBVs) among prisoners support an urgent need to introduce NSPs into the Australian prison system. Australia cannot afford to continue to avoid the serious implications of not implementing prison-based NSPs, both to protect prisoners’ health and human rights, and to limit the spread of BBVs as individuals are released back into the community

'No one likes using the dirties' : A study into the re-use of injecting equipment in Australia

This report contains the findings of a peer-based qualitative research study into the re-use1 of injecting equipment in Australia. It was undertaken by the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) who conducted the research between 2013 and 2015. The impetus for this research came from a growing frustration felt by drug user organisations (DUO) and others in relation to the consistently high rates of re-use of injecting equipment being reported in Australia over recent years. Re-using injecting equipment is a concern as it can increase the risk of transmitting and acquiring blood-borne viruses (BBV) such as hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It can also contribute to bacterial infections and poor vein health for people who inject drugs (PWID)

How does lived experience of incarceration impact upon the helping process in social work practice? : A scoping review

Whilst the value of lived experience in the helping process is recognised in a range of settings including mental health, disability and substance addiction, the understanding of therole of lived experience of incarceration in the helping process is less developed. This is relevant to the question of gatekeeping into the social work profession. A heightened focus on risk has resulted in limited opportunity for those with a history of incarceration from studying and practising social work. Little is known about how a lived experience of incarceration influences the helping relationship, and in turn we know very little about the implications for service users of having reduced access to social workers who have experienced imprisonment. To better understand the current state of knowledge regarding the role of lived experience of incarceration in the helping process, a scoping review of the literature was undertaken. A thematic analysis of sixty-one articles published before 2019 was undertaken and consensus was achieved on four themes: stigma and discrimination; trust and authenticity; role modelling and hope; and, power and agency. The findings include recommendations for more nuanced policy regarding the restriction of those with a lived experience of incarceration entering the social work profession

Australia on track to achieve WHO HCV elimination targets following rapid initial DAA treatment uptake : A modelling study

Subsidized direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment recently became available to all adults living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Australia. Based on rapid uptake (32 600 people initiated DAA in 2016), we estimated the impact on HCV epidemiology and mortality in Australia and determined if Australia can meet the WHO HCV elimination targets by 2030. Using a mathematical model, we simulated pessimistic, intermediate and optimistic DAA treatment scenarios in Australia over 2016-2030. We assumed treatment and testing rates were initially higher for advanced fibrosis and the same across HCV transmission risk level sub-populations. We also assumed constant testing rates after 2016. We compared the results to the 2015 level and a counterfactual (IFN-based) scenario. During 2016-2030, we estimated an intermediate DAA treatment scenario (2016, 32 600 treated; 2017, 21 370 treated; 2018 17 100 treated; 2019 and beyond, 13 680 treated each year) would avert 40 420 new HCV infections, 13 260 liver-related deaths (15 320 in viraemic; −2060 in cured) and 10 730 HCC cases, equating to a 53%, 63% and 75% reduction, respectively, compared to the IFN-based scenario. The model also estimated that Australia will meet the WHO targets of incidence and treatment by 2028. Time to a 65% reduction in liver-related mortality varied considerably between HCV viraemic only cases (2026) and all cases (2047). Based on a feasible DAA treatment scenario incorporating declining uptake, Australia should meet key WHO HCV elimination targets in 10 to15 years. The pre-DAA escalation in those with advanced liver disease makes the achievement of the liver-related mortality target difficult