The Emotions and Reproductive Health

Bibliographic Data

ID4121774
AuthorsAlaka M Basu (0000-0002-3346-5467, Cornell University, corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume32
Issue1
Pages107-121
Publication date2006-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePopulation and Development Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0098-7921 • E-ISSN: 1728-4457
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1728-4457.2006.00107.x
OpenAlexW2075868118
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited40

It is surprising that social demography has so little to say on the emotional underpinnings of demographic behavior. The central proposition of this essay is that emotions are particularly important for understanding the problems of reproductive health. This understanding allows one to consider the usual determinants of personal autonomy, or access to knowledge or services, but also to take into account the fact that much sexual and reproductive behavior is motivated by emotional states that can suppress prior knowledge, services, or agency. The essay draws upon the emerging theoretical literature on emotions in the disciplines of sociology and anthropology to explore the role of emotions in behavior and outcomes related to reproductive health. It looks especially at the cultural meaning, the ideal, and the experienced reality of the emotion of "love." All these aspects of what is a positive emotion have important positive as well as negative implications for the diagnosis and treatment of reproductive tract problems and for unsafe sexual activity

Agency (philosophy · Autonomy · Epistemology · Ideal (ethics · Meaning (existential · Political science · Population · Proposition · Reproductive health · Social science · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes · Psychology · Social Psychology

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