Vulnerability of Pregnant Bodies, Motherhood and Mothering from Ancient Times to the Modern World

With an interdisciplinary and systematic approach, scholars from different research fields in the humanities explore the historical and theoretical constellations between vulnerability, pregnant bodies, motherhood and mothering. This book traces the interrelation between vulnerability and mothering bodies chronologically from ancient times to the modern world, revealing the epistemological and aesthetic paths that create vulnerable mothering bodies throughout the ages.This book aims to discuss historical turning points, interruptions and transitions to explain how vulnerability was attributed to mothering in various cultural and historical contexts. It explores the connection between the vulnerability of pregnant bodies and motherhood, from the emergence of the term ‘vulnerability’ in late antiquity to the latest twenty-first-century social and political discourses. Taking current developments in motherhood studies specifically into account, our contributors rethink the vulnerability of pregnant bodies, motherhood and mothering from diverse disciplinary angles, including ancient history and religious studies, art history, feminist studies, medical humanities, history of medicine, legal studies and literary and cultural studies. The case studies will be accompanied by a conversation with midwifery scholars exploring pressing questions on the front lines of maternal health, addressing the challenges pregnant individuals face today. It presents insights into the current challenges of supporting and caring for pregnant people in particularly vulnerable living conditions.