The geography of abortion: Discourse, spatiality and mobility

Area of Science:

• Social Geography
• Reproductive Health Studies
• Critical Geography

Background:

• Abortion has been largely absent from geographical scholarship, despite increasing focus on bodies and pregnancy since the 1990s.
• A notable reticence surrounding abortion has persisted within the discipline.
• Recent scholarly shifts indicate a growing engagement with abortion as a research topic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the emerging geographical scholarship on abortion.
• To advocate for the inclusion of abortion as a central topic in critical geographical research.
• To demonstrate how geographical perspectives can illuminate complex issues surrounding abortion.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis using three key themes: discourse, spatiality, and mobility.
• Literature review of geographical and related scholarly works on abortion.
• Theoretical framing to integrate abortion into mainstream geographical concerns.

Main Results:

• Geographical analysis of abortion reveals previously obscured dimensions of space, power, and citizenship.
• The study highlights how spatiality, discourse, and mobility are integral to understanding abortion experiences and policies.
• Attention to abortion enriches geographical understanding by making socio-political dynamics more visible.

Conclusions:

• Abortion should be a mainstream topic of critical concern within geography.
• Geographical approaches offer unique insights into the spatial, political, and social dimensions of abortion.
• Integrating abortion into geographical studies fosters a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary social and political landscapes.