Abortion Liberalization in World Society, 1960-2009

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Global Health Policy
• Political Science

Background:

• World society theory posits global institutionalized policies diffuse across nations.
• Abortion policy is unique due to controversy, impacting its global diffusion patterns.
• Understanding the spread of abortion liberalization policies requires analyzing competing global frames.

Observation:

• The study analyzes abortion liberalization policies from 1960 to 2009 using event history analysis.
• Three dominant frames influencing policy were identified: women's rights, medical, and religious/natural family.
• Data covers the period from 1960 to 2009, examining policy adoption and spread.

Findings:

• A scientific, medical frame consistently correlates with the liberalization of policies specifying grounds for abortion.
• Women's leadership roles demonstrate a stronger liberalizing effect than global women's rights discourse.
• Different patterns emerge for adopting subsequent policies compared to initial adoption.

Implications:

• Persistent, competing frames at the global level impede robust diffusion of abortion liberalization policies.
• Despite growing global support for women's autonomy, abortion policy spread remains constrained.
• The findings highlight the complex interplay of scientific, rights-based, and religious frames in shaping global health policies.