Volume 17, Number 2, November 2000
Population, Gender and Reproductive Choice: The Motherhood Questions
Guest Editors: Alison Mackinnon and Lois Bryson
Abstracts
'BRINGING THE UNCLOTHED IMMIGRANT INTO THE WORLD':* POPULATION POLICIES AND GENDER IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY AUSTRALIA
Alison Mackinnon, University of South Australia
This paper considers several policy responses to declining birth rates in Australia over the twentieth century, revealing key continuities in the 'administration of population'. Early in the century pronatalist policies to enhance fertility predominated. In spite of evidence in the 1890s, 1920s and 1940s that economics shaped family sizes and that women's lives included paid work, little acknowledgment of this occurred outside wartime. In the second half of the twentieth century, immigration largely replaced pronatalism as a desired means of building population numbers. Century's end brought new concerns about fertility decline, an ageing population, immigration and increased asylum seeking. These concerns revitalized the call for a population policy and raised unresolved questions for women.
* This expression comes from Mr Ozanne, speaker in the Commonwealth House of Representatives debate on the Maternity Allowance Bill, 1912, Australia, Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, 3412. He spoke of 'women doing their duty to Australia by bringing the unclothed immigrant into the world'.
UNSEEMLY AND UNWOMANLY BEHAVIOUR: COMPARING WOMEN'S CONTROL OF THEIR FERTILITY IN AUSTRALIA AND ENGLAND FROM 1890 TO 1970 Hera Cook, The University of Sydney
From 1890 to 1970 Australian women's use of female-controlled birth control methods was higher than that of English women. The latter primarily depended upon withdrawal and condoms. Use of these male-controlled methods of contraception is associated with low levels of female sexual pleasure, and the belief that husbands should initiate sexual activity and should control their wives' fertility. I argue that higher use of female methods gave white Australian women greater sexual and reproductive autonomy throughout this period. The view that they were in a less desirable position than women in other Anglo cultures needs to be examined more closely.
POWER AND NEGOTIATION: YOUNG WOMEN'S CHOICES ABOUT SEX AND CONTRACEPTION
Ann Evans, The Australian National University
This paper explores issues of power and negotiation for two decisions affecting young women's sexual lives: the decision to have sexual intercourse and the decision to contracept. Using data from two recent Australian surveys the paper explores the complexity of these decisions and the way in which gender relations between young people can influence their reproductive outcomes; young women experience a high rate of sexual coercion and violence and current data collections do not allow analysis of their cause.
CHALLENGES TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA
Penny Kane, University of Melbourne
Reproductive health in Australia is assessed using the parameters outlined in the UN 1994 Cairo conference; some limitations of that approach are noted and further aspects of reproductive health identified and discussed. While many of the basic goals of reproductive health, for example low maternal mortality and widespread contraceptive use, have been largely achieved in Australia, the gains have not been uniform and certain groups such as indigenous Australians, those in rural and remote areas, young people and men remain disadvantaged. The remaining challenges cannot be met within the health system alone but require broader systemic interventions.
DECLINING FERTILITY AND POLICY INTERVENTION IN EUROPE: SOME LESSONS FOR AUSTRALIA?
Graeme Hugo, University of Adelaide
The contemporary fertility situation in Europe is outlined with emphasis on trends in the late 1990s. It is shown that while most European countries have lower fertility levels than Australia there is wide variation between countries with respect to both their levels of fertility and their rate of fertility decline. While almost all countries are experiencing fertility decline the rate of decline is higher and the fertility is lower in countries where the male-breadwinner model is strongest. Attempts to influence fertility in European nations are discussed, particularly those involving the introduction of family-friendly policies. It is clear that despite popular beliefs to the contrary, societies where male-breadwinner models influence policy most are those with lowest fertility. The lesson for Australia is that family-friendly policies not only are desirable from the perspective of moving toward gender equality but are likely to stabilize or perhaps even marginally increase fertility.
SIXTEEN YEARS OF JAPA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN POPULATION ASSOCIATION
Heather Booth, The Australian National University
Adrian Hayes, The Australian National University
This paper presents results of a content analysis of all articles published in the Journal of the Australian Population Association during its sixteen-year history, 1984-99. The findings show that geographic focus, principal subject area and analytical procedure did not change significantly over the period. About three-quarters of articles focused exclusively on Australia and the most common subject areas were fertility and migration. Most articles had one author but this declined over time. Females constituted only one-fifth of sole and first authors and one-quarter of all authors; these proportions decreased in recent periods. About two-fifths of first and all authors were affiliated with the Australian National University. The findings are compared with those of a similar analysis of Demography.
