Babies for Sale: Transnational Surrogacy, Human Rights and the Politics of Reproduction

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Transnational surrogacy the creation of babies across borders has become big business. Globalization, reproductive technologies, new family formations and rising infertility are combining to produce a 'quiet revolution' in social and medical ethics and the nature of parenthood. Whereas much of the current scholarship has focused on the US and India, this groundbreaking anthology offers a far wider perspective. Featuring contributions from over thirty activists and scholars from a range of countries and disciplines, this collection offers the first genuinely international study of transnational surrogacy. Its innovative bottom-up approach, rooted in feminist perspectives, gives due prominence to the voices of those most affected by the global surrogacy chain, namely the surrogate mothers, donors, prospective parents and the children themselves. Through case studies ranging from Israel to Mexico, the book outlines the forces that are driving the growth of transnational surrogacy, as well as its implications for feminism, human rights, motherhood and masculinity.

Reviews

Useful for collections on globalization, medical ethics, and international law ... highly recommended. * Choice *
A brilliant collection. * Amelia Abraham, Refinery 29 *
These original, informed and critical analyses of transnational surrogacy make a vital intervention in impassioned debates. Chapters by leading international scholars and activists address ethical issues, feminist perspectives and the implications for children. They deserve to be widely read. * Ann Phoenix, Institute of Education, University of London *
Transcending the usual rhetoric of reproductive choice and free markets, these authors provide reasoned argument and survey evidence from around the globe, questioning whether surrogacy really represents a win-win situation for all parties. * Donna Dickenson, University of London (Emeritus) *
The collection lays out detailed considerations that should be taken into account, through legal regulation, in any surrogacy arrangement, regardless of a countrys position Whether this will be done, and if so, how rapidly, will depend on the energy brought Miranda Davies anthology is an invaluable contribution to galvanising that energy. * Jane Cottingham, Reproductive Health Matters *
Miranda Davies has brought together a number of eminent authors and produced an outstanding collection. By combining academic approaches, empirical evidence and real-life stories, this book adds an entirely new dimension to the debate on the ethics of cross-border commercial surrogacy. * Katarina Trimmings, University of Aberdeen *
Tackles the booming business in cross-border surrogacy with a provocative collection of international feminist perspectives. It challenges us to think harder about the elephant-in-the-room question: Can commercial transnational surrogacy ever be ethical This volume makes an important contribution to the debate. * Marcy Darnovsky, Executive Director, Center for Genetics and Society *
A ground-breaking book, where the voices of activists and those of researchers come together to address one of the most important, and complex, phenomena of our time: the transnational market in baby-making. * Yasmine Ergas, Columbia University *

Author Bio

Miranda Davies is a writer and editor with a longstanding interest in gender, development and human rights. She has worked for numerous organisations, including Isis International Women's Network, the Central America Committee for Human Rights, Virago, Channel Four, the Rough Guides, Sort Of Books and CoramBAAF Adoption and Fostering Academy, where she is managing editor of Adoption & Fostering journal. This is her fourth international anthology for Zed.