This thesis describes and analyses concepts of criminal abortions during the 1890s. The analysis is based on source material in a court case about illegal abortions that took place in Malmö in 1892, as well as in articles wish were published in the daily newspapers in connection with the same legal case.Through Michel Foucault's theories of dimensions of power and Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis, power relations that may have played a role for individuals' actions are studied. The result shows that there was a disciplinary exercise of power against the accused women based on the way in which these are portrayed in the legal material. The interaction between the individuals in the legal material shows both power and resistance that took place within the discourse.The concept of abortion that emerged from the study shows that there was some acceptance regarding abortions as long as this was handled discreetly. There were also some understandings of the woman's actions which were considered to be based on reasonable causes. However, it turned out that the same understanding did not occur upon the abortionist who was portrayed as a criminal. Reasons for abortion were based on shame, social and economic conditions, and ideological reasons.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.