Tulane University to Host Local and International Scholars and Advocates in Reproductive Health and Justice Symposium
October 4, 2024
On Friday, October 11, Tulane University will host a kick-off symposium to a Mellon Foundation-funded two-year Sawyer Seminar focused on reproductive health and justice in the Gulf South and beyond. The symposium, entitled ‘International Movements for Reproductive Health and Justice,” will be held in the Diboll Gallery at the Newcomb Institute and seeks to explore global movements that address reproductive health and justice in the context of the intersecting challenges of race, gender, the environment and class -- focusing on those who are most affected by them.
Acclaimed scholars such as Deirdre Cooper Owens from the University of Connecticut, Lina-Maria Murillo from the University of Iowa, Mytheli Sreenivas from Ohio State University, Christen Bryson from Universitè Sorbonne Nouvelle, and Kimberly Kelly from Mississippi State University, and many more will lead critical discussions on pressing issues surrounding reproductive rights.
Four sessions, each including panels of five scholars and advocates from across the globe, are set to take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
In addition to the Mellon Foundation, the symposium is co-sponsored by the School of Liberal Arts, the Stone Center for Latin American Studies, and Newcomb Institute. It was organized by Professors Karissa Haugeberg (Department of History), Kate Baldwin (Departments of English and Communication), and Clare Daniel (Newcomb Institute).
“This symposium provides a much-needed local-to-global perspective on issues related to reproductive rights, health, and justice. Panels will not only include participants from abroad and from New Orleans, they will also put researchers in conversation with advocates, allowing for a multifaceted discussion and a process of mutual learning,” said Dr. Clare Daniel, Senior Professor of Practice and Director of Research at the Newcomb Institute.
Sessions include:
Historians and Activists: How Has the Procurement of Abortion and Birth Control Changed (or not) Over Time?
9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Led by multi-published Bonqouis Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Amanda Johnson, four acclaimed academics will discuss the historical evolution of abortion and birth control access through legal, societal, and political lenses. Professors Mytheli Sreenivas and Christabelle Sethna along with abortion-access advocates Tyler Barbarin and Alex Moody are sure to evoke profound conversation about the past and present barriers associated with reproductive healthcare.
Wanted and Coerced Parenting
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Darcy Roake, a graduate student at Tulane, is scheduled to guide panelists Christen Bryson, Anne Légier, Amélie Ribieras, and Petrice Sams-Abiodun through a deep dive into the societal pressures surrounding parenting. This conversation promises an eye-opening discussion about the various factors that often influence family dynamics.
Reproductive Health and Justice in Latin America and the Borderlands
1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Tulane PhD student and panel chair Jason Bedolla Acevedo is set to encourage enlightening dialogue between notable professors and scholars Martha Liliana Espinosa, Lina-Maria Murillo, Cassia Roth, and Martha Silvia. Panelists will explore a range of critical issues related to reproductive rights, healthcare access, and social barriers that persist in Latin America and the border regions.
Reproductive Justice and Injustice
2:25 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Deirdre Cooper Owens, Katherine Johnson, Kimberly Kelly, and Latona Giwa are expected to participate in an inspiring conversation guided by Sawyer Seminar postdoctoral fellow Sarah Hedgecock. Celebrated scholars and advocates will engage audiences with captivating conversations about the systematic barriers to accessible reproductive healthcare and grassroots activism seeking to overturn unjust structures of power.
To learn more about the International Movements for Reproductive Health and Justice Symposium, visit newgreenwave.tulane.edu/symposium.
