Catching Fire: Women's Health Activism in Ireland and the Global Movement for Reproductive Justice

Activists and advocacy organizations have been instrumental in agitating for women's health reforms in Ireland, most notably in 2018 when Ireland passed a referendum to repeal the Eighth amendment. Catching Fire narrates the rise of women's health activism in Ireland within a global reproductive justice framework, focusing on attempts to improve Irish women's access to essential healthcare services and link key developments in Irish history to reproductive advocacy efforts in America and beyond.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

For more than a generation, activists and advocacy organizations have played a crucial role in agitating for women's health reforms in Ireland. Over the past decade, Irish activists have achieved significant victories in improving women's health, most notably in 2018 when Ireland passed a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment, a constitutional ban on abortion. After years of unfavorable laws for women and successive scandals in women's health, Ireland has taken transformative steps to redefine social norms surrounding women's health and reproduction. The case of Ireland's women's health reform offers valuable insight into advancing the modern global movement for women's autonomy.

Catching Fire, a comprehensive volume, narrates the rise of women's health activism in Ireland within a global reproductive justice framework. This framework aims to understand and dismantle the systems of social inequality that shape, oppress, and restrict reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. The volume focuses on the efforts of Irish healthcare reformers and activists to enhance Irish women's access to essential healthcare services and highlights the interconnectedness of reproductive advocacy efforts in America and beyond. Chapters provide historical context behind the modern reproductive justice movement through case studies on women's health issues such as contraception, abortion, and childbirth in Ireland. These case studies celebrate the ingenuity of Irish activists who personalized reproductive justice through the stories of ordinary women on social media and established the Republic of Ireland as a model for future activist movements.

Reaching across groups and eras, Catching Fire highlights the underrecognized historical feminist movements that have supported recent women's health activism. It also emphasizes the enduring legacy of these movements in shaping the feminist discourse and advocating for women's rights. By examining the experiences of ordinary women in Ireland and their contributions to the reproductive justice movement, the book sheds light on the power of grassroots activism and community organizing in driving social change.

In conclusion, Catching Fire is a groundbreaking work that provides a comprehensive account of the women's health activism in Ireland. It offers valuable insights into the historical and contemporary challenges faced by women in the country and highlights the resilience and determination of Irish activists in advocating for reproductive justice. The book serves as a testament to the power of collective action and the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of women's health with other social and political issues. As the global movement for women's autonomy continues to grow, Catching Fire serves as a valuable resource for activists, policymakers, and scholars seeking to understand and promote women's rights and well-being.

Weight: 314g
Dimension: 210 x 140 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197625101