The Moral Veto
Framing Contraception, Abortion, and Cultural Pluralism in the United States

This 2005 book examines the often surprising history of controversies over contraception and abortion in the United States.

Gene Burns (Author)

9780521552097, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 April 2005

354 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.69 kg

"Burns sheds new light on seemingly well-covered territory. Drawing on extensive archival research on the contraception and abortion debates, Burns convincingly illustrates that social movements can be their own biggest obstacles with it comes to concrete political success." Mobilization Deana A. Rohlinger, Florida State University

Why have legislative initiatives occurred on such controversial issues as contraception and abortion at times when activist movements had demobilized and the public seemed indifferent? Why did the South - currently a region where anti-abortion sentiment is stronger than in most of the country - liberalize its abortion laws in the 1960s at a faster pace than any other region? Why have abortion and contraception sometimes been framed as matters of medical practice, and at other times as matters of moral significance? These are some of the questions addressed in The Moral Veto: Framing Contraception, Abortion, and Cultural Pluralism in the United States. Based on archival and sociological research, and speaking to issues in the study of culture, social movements, and legal change, this 2005 book examines what the history of controversies over such morally charged issues tells us about cultural pluralism in the United States.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Framing contraception within moral worldviews: the early, radical birth control movement
2. The mainstreaming of birth control: a new alliance with eugenics and medicine
3. Dennett's moral worldview and the catholic moral veto: unsuccessful frames for contraception
4. Abortion before controversy: quiet reform within a medical, humanitarian frame
5. Abortion and legislative stalemate: the weakness and strength of the medical, humanitarian frame
6. Looking back: limiting frames, moral vetoes, and cultural Pluralism
Notes
Works cited.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Sociology & anthropology [JH], Religion & beliefs [HR]