birth in 8 cultures cover.jpgRobbie Davis-Floyd and Melissa Cheyney are delighted to announce the publication their co-edited Birth in Eight Cultures (Long Grove IL: Waveland Press, 2019). Following on from Jordan’s classic Birth in Four Cultures, which Robbie revised and updated in 1993, this collection brings together the work of 15 reproductive anthropologists to address core cultural values and knowledge systems as revealed in contemporary birth practices spanning six continents. Six ethnographic chapters form the heart of the book, three of which are set up as dyads that encompass two countries; each demonstrates the power of anthropology’s cross-cultural comparative methods. An additional chapter with ethnographic vignettes gives readers a feel for what fieldwork is really like on the ground. The eminently readable, theoretically rich chapters are enhanced by absorbing stories, photos, quotes, Thought Questions, and film recommendations that nudge the reader toward eureka flashes of understanding and render the book suitable for undergraduate and graduate audiences alike, as well as for birth practitioners.

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