Birth in Eight Cultures

by Robbie E. Davis-Floyd, Melissa Cheyney

This stunning sequel to Brigitte Jordan’s landmark Birth in Four Cultures brings together the work of fifteen reproductive anthropologists to address core cultural values and knowledge systems as revealed in contemporary birth practices in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Tanzania, and the United States. Six ethnographic chapters form the heart of the book, three of which are set up as dyads that compare two countries; each demonstrates the power of anthropology’s cross-cultural comparative method. An additional chapter with ethnographic vignettes gives readers a feel for what fieldwork is really like on the ground. The eminently readable, theoretically rich chapters are enhanced by absorbing stories, photos, quotes, thought questions, and film suggestions that nudge the reader toward eureka flashes of understanding and render the book suitable for undergraduate and graduate audiences alike.

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2019

Reviews

[eryn]

*for class*

[Lexi Zuo]

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a bit technical at parts, but overall it was really neat to learn more about birth culture and practices from countries around the world! Recommend this for doulas and midwives a like!

[Jennifer Sligh]

Phenomenal book with big insights and connections around birth across the globe. Shaped and shifted my views around birth practices. Written at a graduate school level which is not very accessible to the community. Glad I read it!

[Erin Wissler Gerdes]

Great overview of how a country's culture impacts a women's birth choices and how the healthcare system values those choices. Made me reflect a lot about technocratic birth.

[Michelle Palmer]

A must read for birth workers

As a practicing midwife for over 25 years the breadth and depth of this work extending beyond the clinical realm was thought provoking and inspiring.

[Lauren Hightower]

This is a very important piece of work and I hope every childbearing and non childbearing person has the opportunity to read these cultural comparisons.