Maternities and Modernities

Feminist theories have focused on contemporary Western experiences of maternity. This volume shows that birthing and mothering can be a very different experience for women in other parts of the world. The contributors document a wide variety of conceptions of motherhood in Asia and the Pacific revealing how the experience of motherhood has been influenced by missionaries colonial policies and the introduction of Western medicine and biomedical birthing methods. They raise important questions about the costs and benefits of becoming a modern mother in these societies.