Raising 'True Believers

Anti-Abortion 'Education' for Primary Children in the UK

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2392329
AutoresP Lowe (0000-0001-5933-453X, Aston University, autor de correspondencia), J Page (0000-0002-6879-536X, Aston University)
Año2024
Volumen29
Número3
Páginas527-543
Fecha de publicación2024-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociological Research Online (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1360-7804 • E-ISSN: 1360-7804
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/13607804231175012
OpenAlexW4385996320
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas22

In the UK, the vast majority of people accept abortion, whether or not they are religious. Holding an absolutist anti-abortion view is out of line with the general population. The overwhelming majority of anti-abortion activists are motivated by conservative Christian religious beliefs, not necessarily shared by others in their faith communities. Their minority position, and ageing population, poses issues for the continuance of the anti-abortion movement, creating a need for specific anti-abortion religious socialisation that is unavailable elsewhere. Drawing on data from a longitudinal ethnographic study of anti-abortion activism, this article highlights the ways in which anti-abortion activists seek to develop anti-abortion values among primary-aged children. It illustrates their conflict between the need to develop a strong anti-abortion identity and involving children in potentially controversial discussions on abortion. We use the framework of lived religion to argue that, while much attention has been given to the concerns about children in minority religions, this has resulted in a lack of attention to the diversity of practices within mainstream religious communities, and how controversial forms of socialisation are managed

Abortion · Epistemology · Faith · Mainstream · Political science · Population · Sociology · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Demography · Gender Studies · Law · Religion and Society Interactions · Reproductive Health and Contraception