Re-Thinking Abortion: Psychology, Gender, Power and the Law »

Re-Thinking Abortion offers an incisive and original analysis of the abortion debates, abortion legislation and of women's and men's experience of abortion.

In the past, abortion hasn't often been addressed in psychological theory. Mary Boyle finds, however, that among the law-making body (largely male) the concept of gender is central to the formulation of abortion legislation. In a detailed study of legislative debates spanning thirty years, she finds that many implicit assumptions about women and doctors underlie the content of abortion law. By acknowledging how social policy can be so influenced, we can begin to set some constructive ways forward.

Booknews

Boyle (clinical psychology, U. of East London), examines many aspects of the abortion issue. Topics include the psychology of abortion, legislation, debates, the medical profession and abortion, contraception, social policies affecting abortion, and the experience of abortion. Boyle focuses on the gender imbalance caused by the fact that only women get abortions while primarily men decide whether or not they are legal, and argues that a psychological analysis of the abortion debate can increase understanding of why it arouses such strength and feeling. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.