Race and Reproduction in Cuba

The book "Race and Reproduction in Cuba" explores how women's reproductive lives have been shaped by medical, legal, and institutional interventions over four centuries, challenging the male-normative perspective of migration in Cuba's demographic history. It argues that elite men intervened in women's reproductive lives in racially specific ways, sustaining racial hierarchies through political, economic, and social change.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2022
Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Women's reproductive experiences, encompassing conception, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and other physical manifestations of motherhood, have played a pivotal role in shaping Cuba's population throughout history. While previous scholarship has primarily focused on migration, both forced and voluntary, in understanding Cuba's demographic evolution, Race and Reproduction in Cuba offers a groundbreaking perspective by centering women in the first comprehensive history of reproduction in the country.

In her meticulously researched work, Bonnie A. Lucero delves into the intricate tapestry of women's reproductive lives, spanning four centuries. The study commences in the early colonial era, when the islands witnessed the establishment of the first charitable institutions dedicated to providing relief to impoverished women and abandoned white infants. The focal point of the book lies in the long nineteenth century, a period characterized by elite interventions in women's reproduction that were not solely driven by race but also by legal status. This era witnessed the interplay of demographic desires, particularly the growth of the white population and the management of the nonwhite population, shaping women's reproductive experiences in distinct and racially discriminatory ways.

Lucero's analysis challenges the prevailing male-normative narrative by unveiling how elite men, including judges, physicians, philanthropists, and public officials, intervened in women's reproductive lives in racially specific manners. She explores how white supremacy permeated tangible disparities in the treatment of women and their infants across racial lines, ultimately contributing to the perpetuation of racial hierarchies amidst significant political, economic, and social transformations. Through her comprehensive examination, Lucero sheds light on how reproductive outcomes played a crucial role in sustaining these racial structures during periods of immense upheaval.

Race and Reproduction in Cuba is a groundbreaking contribution to the field of demographic history, offering a fresh perspective that challenges traditional narratives and sheds light on the complex interplay of race, gender, and power in shaping reproductive experiences. By centering women's voices and experiences, Lucero provides a valuable addition to our understanding of Cuba's past and contributes to ongoing discussions about gender, reproduction, and social change in Latin America and beyond.

Weight: 363g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780820362779