Laboring Wombs and the Paradox of "Producing" Humans -- HONORS DIALOGUE EVENT

Dr. Amrita Pande, Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, South Africa, analyzes the fundamental paradoxes of commercial surrogacy that on the one hand is dependent on global inequalities and is aligned with the postcolonial stat's agenda of restricting births especially among the poor. On the other hand, commercial surrogacy provides conditions for bodily agency for these women even as they paricipate in the reproduction of children of higher classes and privileged nations. Interestingly, this not only results in a creative relationship forged between the surrogates and the baby and its intended mother, which transcends ties of caste, class, religion, and sometimes race and nation, but it nevertheless results in reifying structures of inequality.

Sponsoried by Wright State University's Women's Center, Departments of Sociology and Anthropology, History, Economics, Social Work, and the Asian/Hispanic/Native American Center.

This event is free and open to the public.

*NOTE: Fall 2014 Honors freshmen are required to attend one Dialogue during this academic year to maintain priority registration status. Students not satisfying the Dialogue requirement will lose their priority registration status for one semester (Spring 2016). An attendance sheet will be available for you to sign.