Socially Constructed Teen Motherhood

A Review

Bibliographic Data

ID16861663
AuthorsMarc Fonda (Western University), Rachel Eni (0000-0002-8118-6606, University of Manitoba), Eric Guimond (Western University)
Year2013
Volume4
Issue1
Publication date2013-03-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Indigenous Policy Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1916-5781 • E-ISSN: 1916-5781
PublisherUniversity of Western Ontario, Western Libraries (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.18584/iipj.2013.4.1.8
OpenAlexW2202988898
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited9

This article reviews literature on the gradual construction of teenage pregnancy as a social issue in North America. It shows how teen motherhood emerged not as an issue unto itself, but as a microcosm of numerous, closely intertwined phenomena including: the evolution of Western views on human sexuality and gender roles; the place of religious values in society; and the emergence of various modern technologies, the social and medical sciences, and how such disciplines view childhood, motherhood, and women in society. In particular, it shows that even as teen pregnancy is today viewed primarily through public health and/or socioeconomic lenses, it has never been completely divorced from its original construction – as an indicator of failure to adhere to social, religious, and moral values. The article closes with an informal content analysis of several First Nations-related documents that highlight both similarities and differences to the non-Aboriginal perspective

Human sexuality · Indigenous · Population · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Canadian Identity and History · Gender Studies · Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights · Indigenous Studies and Ecology

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