Fertile Connections: Thinking across Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Parenting Culture Studies
While studies of 'parenting culture' and 'assisted reproductive technologies' are now well established areas of social science scholarship, so far, the potential connections between the two fields have not been significantly explored. Responding to calls for a more 'processual' approach to studying reproduction in order to make clearer contributions to sociological theory more broadly, we begin a dialogue between these mutually relevant bodies of literature, highlighting connections and crosscutting findings. We focus on four interlinked themes Reflexivity, Gender, Expertise and Stratification and promote a more holistic approach to understanding how children are conceived and cared for within the current 'Euro American' reproductive landscape. By way of conclusion, we draw attention to the contemporary context of 'anxious reproduction' and propose directions for future research.