Reproductive justice: Non-interference or non-domination?

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Philosophy
• Women's Studies

Background:

• The reproductive justice movement, originating from Black women's rights activism, is an intersectional framework for reproductive autonomy.
• Existing scholarship often uses 'reproductive justice' but rarely defines the 'justice' component.
• Clarifying the concept of freedom is essential for understanding reproductive justice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and clarify the concept of freedom within reproductive justice.
• To compare freedom as non-interference with freedom as non-domination in the context of reproductive justice.
• To argue for the superiority of the non-domination approach in reproductive justice theory.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of two distinct theories of freedom: non-interference and non-domination.
• Examination of the philosophical underpinnings of reproductive justice.
• Focus on the foundational ideals of the reproductive justice movement.

Main Results:

• Freedom as non-domination aligns more closely with the core principles of the reproductive justice movement.
• Non-domination is identified as a necessary condition for non-ideal reproductive justice.
• Epistemic non-domination is highlighted as critical for shaping the discourse on reproductive justice.

Conclusions:

• An adequate theory of reproductive justice must prioritize freedom from domination.
• The concept of non-domination offers a more robust framework for achieving reproductive justice.
• Addressing epistemic non-domination is vital for empowering marginalized voices in the reproductive justice narrative.