Conceiving Kinship

Monica M.E. Bonaccorso is Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Durham, following a position as Affiliated Lecturer and Wellcome Trust Fellow in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge.

Boxes

Foreword

Acknowledgements



Introduction



Chapter 1. Locating Conceiving Kinship: New Subjects, New Boundaries





Introduction

An Overview of Anthropological Enquiry into Assisted Conception

An Overview of Italian Anthropology



Chapter 2. Research in Place: Shifting Fields of Enquiry





Introduction

Multiple Investigations, Sites, Informants

Main Investigation

Comparative Investigation

Collateral Investigation



Chapter 3. Heterosexual Couples: Life Plans, Irreversible Infertility and the Choice of a Programme of Gamete Donation





A Case: Anna and Artificial Insemination by Donor

Introduction

Planning Our Life, Planning Our Children

Discovering Irreversible Infertility

Choosing a Programme of Gamete Donation

Normalizing Gamete Donation

Do It Quickly (and It Lasts Forever)



Chapter 4. Heterosexual Couples: Gamete Donation, Donors and Biogenetic Make-up





A Case: Matilde and Egg Donation

Introduction

Infertile Couples, Biological Inheritance and Biogenetic Make-up

Couples' Perception of Donors and Donation

Good Intentions, Gifts and Donors' Displacement



Chapter 5. Heterosexual Couples and Clinicians: Strategies in Private Clinics of Assisted Conception





Extract from Field Notes: at Lunch with Clinicians

Introduction

The Provision of Services in Private Clinics of Assisted Conception

Life around Clinics and Clinicians: Trust, Faith and Dependency

The Hyper-medicalized Infertile Couple

Managing Recurrent Failure in the Clinic

Getting to Understand Programmes of Gamete Donation

The Work of Kinship in the Clinic



Chapter 6. Lesbian and Gay Couples Making Families by Donation





A Case: a Lesbian Couple Planning a Family by Donation

Introduction

Lesbian and Gay Couples: Planning a Life Together

Planning Families

Rethinking Motherhood and Fatherhood

The Lesbian and Gay Way: The Procreative Project

The Lesbian and Gay Way: Practices of Inclusion

The Lesbian and Gay Way: Practices of Relatedness



Chapter 7. The Traffic in Kinship: Southern Europe and Euro-America





Introduction

Ethnographic Reflections: Some Key Notions

Programmes of Gamete Donation: Challenging (in Principle) the 'Model' Italian versus Euro-American Kinship: Generalizing the 'Model'



A Concluding Note: Conceiving Kinship



Appendix I: Assisted Conception in Italy: A Legislative and Political Controversy, 1996-99





Towards a Unified Text: Political Controversies over Legislation

The Death of the Unified Text: The Rise of a New Controversy

The Political Project Behind Assisted Conception, 1996-99



Appendix II: Profile of Infertile Heterosexual Couples



Appendix IIa: Profile of Lesbian and Gay Couples



Bibliography

Index