The following thesis seeks to inquire whether the recent phenomenon of women seeking out and indeed actively engaging with a medicalised birth stems from a shift in not only perceptions of risk, but also how a shift in responsibility, choice and control has impacted on the birthing women of Australian society. The thesis examines sociology of risk employing the work of both Beck and Giddens, although an emphasis will be placed on the work of Ulrich Beck. The three major themes that underpin the work of Beck, namely his risk society thesis, reflexive modernization and individualization are employed to explore some of the issues that concern the relationship between risk and society, the ramifications of this form of society on its inhabitants and specifically in relation to its impact on those experiencing pregnancy and childbirth. The Risk Society as an explanatory framework was empirically tested by conducting 45 interviews with women who had recently given birth from three separate birthing environments: private birth mothers, birth centre and home birth mothers. The argument is put forward that whilst previous research into the area of childbirth is clearly important in shedding a critical light upon childbirth practices, it does nevertheless neglect some important current social changes. In this respect, the application of Beck and Giddens work to the area of sociology of reproduction captures more adequately the ideological shift which this thesis examines. It is argued, through the scrutinizing gaze of the public, that the pregnant woman is the least able to escape the consequences of risk society where changed notions of health and responsibility have created a cultural acceptance of medical intervention of childbirth. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/181945 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Possamai-Inesedy, Alphia, University of Western Sydney, College of Social and Health Sciences, School of Applied Social and Human Sciences |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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