This special issue adopts a comparative approach to the politics of reproduction in twentieth-century France and Britain. The articles investigate flow information, practices tools across national boundaries between groups experts, activists laypeople. Empirically grounded medical, news media feminist sources, as well ethnographic fieldwork, they reveal practical similarities that existed countries with officially different political regimes local differences within two countries. Taken...

This paper focuses on marital birth control practices c. 1955–1970, i.e. before the era of widespread uniform adoption modern contraceptives, in two nearby Swiss cities characterized by different religious cultures. It asks how responsibility for contraceptive was shared within couple, whether it object discussion between spouses, choice a method contraception made and culture affected these elements. uses written sources reflecting medical authorities' views about 48 semi-structured...

Abstract This article takes the opening of Brook Advisory Centres in London (1964) and Birmingham (1966) as a comparative case study for exploring public debate on youth sexuality. The two centers were first postwar Britain specifically dedicated to provision advice birth control emotional problems unmarried young people. By focusing an initiative that launched amid rising concerns over illegitimacy promiscuity, engages with social change 1960s so-called permissive society. author argues...

Abstract In 1976, the Committee of Safety Medicines (CSM) in Britain authorized contraceptive injectable Depo-Provera (DP) for short-term use and two main reasons only: if a woman had received rubella vaccine or her partner just undergone vasectomy. Although officially on restricted grounds only, drug appears to have been widely prescribed by doctors Domiciliary Family Planning Services (DFPS). This article takes prescription DP DFPS Haringey, multiracial neighbourhood London, Glasgow as...

The transition from the baby boom to bust has never been studied with a particular focus on increase in relative costs of children. This article uses this explanation and applies it Lausanne Fribourg, two Swiss cities characterized by different institutional contexts strikingly divergent trends terms fertility. conjectures that new rights for children models parenthood appeared during 1960s increased cost child rearing are key explanations bust.

This paper explores the influence of English female doctors on creation International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and production circulation contraceptive knowledge in England and, to a lesser extent France, between 1930 1970. By drawing writings proceedings international conferences as well archives British Medical Women’s (MWF) Family Planning Association (FPA), one hand, Mouvement Français pour le Familial (MFPF), other, this agency at national transnational level. I recover...

One of the major corollaries post-war fertility boom and decline is that two-child families became common across Europe after 1970s. Despite general agreement on convergence trends, there still little understanding how this change took place in a comparative perspective Western Eastern Europe, which at time were characterised by Cold War tensions different ideological regimes. This study addresses aspect focusing individual decisions around childbearing, child-rearing family size. Based 104...

This paper focuses on the roles played by English and French women doctors in international debates about birth control (1920-1935). It highlights concrete impact of different national policies relating to family reproductive health doctors’ stances control. shows significant role medical practical aspects reluctance female engage with issues revolving around reproduction. argues that were among leaders process medicalisation at conferences due their experience expertise acquired level.

Abstract This article uses the audio recordings of sexual counselling sessions carried out by Dr Joan Malleson, a birth control activist and committed family planning doctor in early 1950s, which are held at Wellcome Library London as case study to explore ways Malleson patients mobilised emotions for respectively managing problems expressing what they understood constituting ‘good sexuality’ postwar Britain. The contains two interrelated arguments. First, it argues that used psychological...

This paper examines the introduction to Britain of Gräfenberg ring, an early version what later became known as intrauterine device (IUD). The struggle during interwar years establish value ring provides opportunity for a case study evaluation and acceptance new medical device. With professionalization birth control movement expansion clinics in Britain, efforts develop better scientific means contraception grew rapidly. At end nineteenth century, methods controlling fertility ranged from...

First opened in 1964 London, the Brook Advisory Centres (BAC) were first centres to provide contraceptive advice and sexual counselling unmarried people postwar Britain. Drawing on archival materials, medical articles published by BAC members oral history interviews with former counsellors, this paper looks at tensions present health work between progressive views young people's sexuality moral conservatism. In so doing, makes two inter-related arguments. First, I argue that doctors,...

Cet article aborde la question du rôle des femmes dans les transformations comportements sexuels et familiaux en Suisse entre 1955-1970. Cette étude comparative portant sur villes de Lausanne Fribourg adopte le point vue individus y intégrant une perspective genre. Basée entretiens histoire orale avec personnes qui étaient parents mariées à durant période étudiée, cette recherche se concentre deux aspects particuliers touchant au formation familiale, réinterrogeant suppositions ou...