Contextualising Abortion: A life narrative study of abortion and class
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Contextualising Abortion: A life narrative study of abortion and social class
IRAS ID
171208
Contact name
Gillian Love
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sussex
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 29 days
Research summary
This project is a life-story study of up to 20 people who have ended pregnancies in England, Scotland or Wales since 2008. The study aims to discover which factors people describe as most important to them when ending a pregnancy in austerity Britain. It will also ask whether current understandings of social class are relevant to this experience.
Whilst some research has already been undertaken to explore the impact of social class on abortion experiences, personal narratives have not yet been examined in great depth through this lens. In addition, it has been argued that the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, and subsequent austerity measures in Britain, have given rise to new understandings of class. Therefore, it is timely to examine the ways in which this emerging landscape is impacting the narratives of people who have made the decision to end a pregnancy since 2008.
Life narratives have been chosen as the most appropriate method for this study. Interviewing is useful to access participants’ feelings, perceptions and experiences, but often focus on certain themes or events. A life narrative interview, on the other hand, aims to build a picture of the participants’ whole life and what is most important to them. This method will give participants space to talk about all of the complex factors that make up their ‘social class’, as well as contextualising their abortion experience and decision.
The research aims to deepen understanding of the experience of ending a pregnancy by contextualising it within a whole life narrative, and current climate of austerity in Britain.
REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1484
Date of REC Opinion
30 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion