Morgan Centre seminar: 'Birth and Death: relations and connections' - Kath Woodward and Sophie Woodward
| Dates: | 17 December 2020 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
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| How much: | Free |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Current University students |
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Birth and death are usually conceived in opposition: birth as a beginning, death an end, birth as a source of hope and optimism and death the cause of grief. In this talk we will outline our approach taken in our book 'Birth and Death', by thinking about birth and death in relation to each other to problematise these oppositions by highlighting how birth and death as part of life and living and their profound and routine connections.
The profound and routine are central to how we understand birth and death as they are both ordinary and everyday as well as being life-changing and defining experiences. We develop a relational and intergenerational approach to birth and death which is informed by critical feminist theories which engage with inequalities and the operation of power: by positioning birth and death in relation to each other we draw out a series of other relations that are central to life and living: the ordinary and extraordinary, the personal and the social, the medical and the natural.
The global pandemic has shown how pressing these relationships are. When economies and health care are in crisis and death is on the agenda what hope is there for choice, respect and dignity for those giving birth or those who are dying, in each case without support if loved ones? Rethinking the relationship between birth and death is even more relevant in uncertain times, when exercising any control over our lives seems impossible in the midst of the certainties about the threat of Covid-19 to livelihoods, life itself and our communities.
This event is online. See the link to the Eventbrite web page for more information and how to register. Everybody is welcome to join - you will need to register first to receive the Zoom link to join the event.
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Online - see Eventbrite page for how to register and receive the link to join this seminar.
