For many humans, their idea of happiness is living in a long-term relationship and raising a family (Lenz 2010). Since the 1960s, reproductive medicine has provided new opportunities to realize this desire. Hereby new... [ view full abstract ]
For many humans, their idea of happiness is living in a long-term relationship and raising a family (Lenz 2010). Since the 1960s, reproductive medicine has provided new opportunities to realize this desire. Hereby new constellations of biological and social parent- and childhood are created. Currently, there is little research within early childhood education on these changes, e.g. about the selection of biological material and inequalities due to the expensive costs of reproductive technologies. A critical review from this discipline is important, since it has a strong tradition of protecting and strengthening the rights of children.
Research design
The main question of the study was which forms of parenthood and childhood can be found through new reproductive medicine. It includes a literature review and a critical discourse analysis of company websites who offer semen/egg donation and surrogacy. The study is embedded into biopolitical approaches of Michel Foucault and Susanne Lettow and the research of Karin Lesnik-Ober.
Results
Companies strongly promote the idea of personal happiness through parenthood and 'own' children. They also foster the image of being able to create a perfectly healthy child and the vision of controlling the future through choosing the ‘right’ biological material. The study aims to critically review these promises and to strengthen the position of children, especially beyond the reduction to happiness for their parents.
Literature
Foucault, Michel (1976 bzw. 2001): In Verteidigung der Gesellschaft. Vorlesungen am Collège de France (1975-1976). Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag.
Lenz, Karl (2010): Abschied von der Normalfamilie – Familie als Plural. In: Wustmann, Cornelia/Karber, Anke/Giener Anita (Hrsg.): Kindheit aus sozialwissenschaftlicher Perspektive. Graz: Grazer Universitätsverlag, S. 37-56.
Lettow, Susanne (2012): Einleitung. In: dies: Bioökonomie. Die Lebenswissenschaften und die Bewirtschaftung der Körper. Bielefeld: transkrip, 7-17.
Lesnik-Oberstein, Karin (2008): On Having an Own Child: Reproductive Technologies and the Cultural Construction of Childhood. London: Karnac.
