Birth Control

by Aharon W. Zorea

Overview

Intended as a reference tool for college students, this book examines the origins of and controversies associated with birth control in the United States.

• Contains 20 primary document excerpts divided into 8 thematic categories, including early birth-control manuals, essays by Margaret Sanger, papal encyclicals, federal statutes, Supreme Court cases, and executive orders from 4 presidents on the subject of birth control

• Provides a bibliography of sources for additional research

• Includes a glossary and index for quick access to information about specific topics and terms

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313362552
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	01/16/2012
Series:	Health and Medical Issues Today
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Aharon W. Zorea is associate professor in history at the University of Wisconsin, Richland, WI.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword
Introduction
Section I: Historical Overview
1 Types of Birth Control and Their Controversies
Natural Birth Control Methods
Early Artificial Birth Control Methods
Intrauterine Devices
Hormonal-Based Contraceptives
Long-Acting Hormone-Based Contraceptives
"Emergency" Contraceptives
Recent Innovations and Marketing
Sterilization
Conclusion
2 History of Birth Control—From the American Revolution to World War II
Republican Motherhood
Social Science Reform
Temperance and Purity Movements
Comstock and Contraception
The Progressive Era
Sanger, Science, and Radicalism
The Town Hall Raid
The Sanger Effect
Aftermath: Before World War II
3 Birth Control Policy since 1945
Contraceptive Research and Development
Population Control and Federal Policy
From Legalization to Public Funding
Humanae Vitae
Abortion versus Birth Control
Funding and Culture Wars
Section II: Contemporary Controversies and Issues Relating to Birth Control
4 Consumer Protection
Original Promise for Women's Health
Unknown Variables
Birth Control and Cancer Risk
Incomplete Disclosure
Target Markets
Concluding Thoughts
5 Government Policy
Government Funding and Objectivity
"Civil Rights" or "Public Health"
"Family Planning" or Eugenics
Long-Acting Contraceptives and Voluntariness
Voluntariness: Doctors and the "Conscience Clause"
Other Factors: Foreign Aid, Environmentalism, and Youth
6 Social Impact of Birth Control
Birth Control and Feminism
Lack of Male Contraceptives
Recent Innovations in Male Contraception
Environmentalism and Birth Control
Feminism and Marketing
Youth Appropriateness and Advertising
Birth Control and Sex Education
Abstinence-Only Sex Education: No Birth Control
Birth Control Access and Youth Rights
Pluralism and Modern Society
Concluding Thoughts
Section III: Primary Documents
A Early Motivations for Birth Control—Part I: Science or Pornography?
Excerpt from Fruits of Philosophy
Excerpt from The Book of Nature
B Early Opposition to Birth Control—Moral Temperance or Public Interference?
Comstock Law of 1873
Excerpt from Frauds Exposed
C Early Motivations for Birth Control—Part II: Feminism, Radicalism, or Public Health?
Margaret Sanger's The Woman Rebel
Excerpt from Family Limitation
Excerpts from What Every Girl Should Know
Excerpt from the Sanger-Russell Debate on Birth Control
D Supreme Court Cases—From Public Health to Civil Rights
Excerpt from Buck v. Bell
Excerpt from United States v. One Package
Excerpt from Griswold v. Connecticut
E Religious Reactions—Free Choice or Intrinsic Evil?
Excerpt from Humanae Vitae
F Birth Control as a Political Issue—Is Abortion a Form of Birth Control?
Hyde Amendment
Reagan's Mexico City Policy
President William Clinton's Mexico City Policy
President George W. Bush's Policy
President Barack Obama's Policy
Timeline for Birth Control Issues
Glossary
Further Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

Overall, Birth Control is a balanced, fair source of information on birth control topics in social and political areas, presenting an accessible, introductory overview, rather than taking a stand or advocating a certain agenda. This volume is most appropriate for high school, college, and public libraries.” —ARBA

“An excellent overview of birth control and related controversies over time. . . . This book serves as an excellent research starter and source for some important related primary documents. Focusing less on the science of birth control and more on related ethical and social issues, it would be useful for students in a variety of social science and humanities courses.” —Choice

“Zorea navigates the issues from a historical perspective in an informative and neutral tone. This excellent overview makes a complex topic understandable and is suitable for general readers and undergraduates.” —Library Jourbanal

From the Publisher

Birth control is not a new topic, but it remains a controversial one. Zorea (history, Univ. of Wisconsin; In the Image of God: A Christian Response to Capital Punishment) posits that the ideological diversity of the United States today makes it difficult to take a side on the issue and encourages viewing it from a variety of perspectives. His historical overview covers types of birth control and their respective controversies, the history of birth control from the American Revolution to World War II, and related U.S. policy since 1945. Then he explores contemporary controversies including consumer protection, government policy, and social impact. The final section presents primary-source documents pertaining to early motivations for and opposition to birth control, excerpts from Supreme Court cases and the Vatican's Humanae Vitae, and various presidential administrations' policies regarding birth control and foreign aid. The introductions to the primary documents explain their relevance to the information presented in the first two sections. VERDICT While Laura Friedman's Birth Control presents adversarial documents, Zorea navigates the issues from a historical perspective in an informative and neutral tone. This excellent overview makes a complex topic understandable and is suitable for general readers and undergraduates.—Julia A. Watson, Marywood Univ., Scranton, PA

Library Journal