The Sex, Research & Resistance Podcast

In this ThinkBites episode, three researchers Erica Millar, Camille Maes and Martha Nicholson share experiences of conducting research with abortion providers in three health care systems – Australia, Italy, and Northern Ireland. In part one, they share what motivated them to start working in abortion research, the contexts that they work in, and the contested identities of health professionals who provide abortion care in each setting, in particular midwives. Their discussion frames abortion as both an essential health issue and a key political issue. In part two, Erica, Camille and Martha take a deep dive into the intersection of the role of midwives and abortion care. They discuss institutional abortion stigma, objectification of female-dominated health professions and misunderstood policies on conscientious objection, and what this means for the ways that abortion knowledge is contested or absent from many institutions of work and learning. They talk about how abortion care is intrinsically linked with relations of power: gender-based power, social inequalities, medical dominance, and institutional authority. Along the way, you’ll hear about Erica, Camilla, and Martha’s research approaches, including their research frustrations and hopes for the future. Participants Martha Nicholson: PhD Student in the Reproduction, Sexualities and Sexual Health research group at the Open University in the UK. Current research is a feminist ethnography on how nurses and midwives learn about abortion care in Northern Ireland. Erica Millar: Senior Research Fellow in Crime, Justice & Legal Studies, and Lecturer at La Trobe University in Australia. Current research explores institutional abortion stigma: Identifying, understanding, and enacting the institutional and cultural change required for equitable access. Camille Maes: PhD Student in the Department of Social Sciences of Gender and Sociological Theory at the University of Liège in Belgium. Current research is exploring midwives’ roles in abortion care in Italy. To share feedback, please email [email protected] Hosted and produced by Martha Nicholson.

In this ThinkBites episode, three researchers Erica Millar, Camille Maes and Martha Nicholson share experiences of conducting research with abortion providers in three health care systems – Australia, Italy, and Northern Ireland.  In part one, they share what motivated them to start working in abortion research, the contexts that they work in, and the contested identities of health professionals who provide abortion care in each setting, in particular midwives. Their discussion frames abortion as both an essential health issue and a key political issue.  In part two, Erica, Camille and Martha take a deep dive into the intersection of the role of midwives and abortion care. They discuss institutional abortion stigma, objectification of female-dominated health professions and misunderstood policies on conscientious objection, and what this means for the ways that abortion knowledge is contested or absent from many institutions of work and learning. They talk about how abortion care is intrinsically linked with relations of power: gender-based power, social inequalities, medical dominance, and institutional authority. Along the way, you’ll hear about Erica, Camilla, and Martha’s research approaches, including their research frustrations and hopes for the future.  Participants Martha Nicholson: PhD Student in the Reproduction, Sexualities and Sexual Health research group at the Open University in the UK. Current research is a feminist ethnography on how nurses and midwives learn about abortion care in Northern Ireland. Erica Millar: Senior Research Fellow in Crime, Justice & Legal Studies, and Lecturer at La Trobe University in Australia. Current research explores institutional abortion stigma: Identifying, understanding, and enacting the institutional and cultural change required for equitable access. Camille Maes: PhD Student in the Department of Social Sciences of Gender and Sociological Theory at the University of Liège in Belgium. Current research is exploring midwives’ roles in abortion care in Italy. Hosted and produced by Martha Nicholson. To share feedback, please email [email protected]

In this ThinkBites episode, Dr Rebecca Jones is in conversation with Dr Helen Bowes-Catton and Dr Sarah Jen about researching bisexuality and queerness across generations.   In part 1, Rebecca, Helen, and Sarah explore how meaning around identities, behaviours and attractions are made among bisexual and queer communities. Reflecting on the liminalities of age, they bring our attention to the richness of bisexual and queer identities and foreground the need to reflect this in our research.   In part 2, Rebecca, Helen, and Sarah offer their experiences as life course researchers and speak to some of their approaches and methods connecting with bisexual and queer communities. In this episode, you’ll hear about the realm of possibilities that emerge from cornucopias of craft materials, visual maps, life history reviews and love letters. Tune in to hear about their visions for future research and an exciting opportunity to contribute to the new Routledge book of bisexuality too!   Bios:   Dr Rebecca Jones (she/her) @remembermyhat (X/Bluesky) - is a Senior Lecturer in Health at The Open University, UK. She researches and teaches about sexuality across the life course and reimagining ageing in more inclusive ways. She specialises in the ageing of LGBTQ+ people and is particularly known for her work on bisexuality and ageing.   Dr Helen Bowes-Catton @helenbowescatton (X) (she/her)- is a Lecturer in Social Research Methods at The Open University, UK. She researches lived experiences of subjectivity and space in a variety of contexts, and is currently co-editing The Routledge International Handbook of Bisexuality, for which she is seeking further submissions-  https://helenbowescatton.com/2023/09/30/second-call-for-chapter-proposals-routledge-international-handbook-of-bisexuality/   Dr Sarah Jen (she/her) - Sarah is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas School of Social Work. Her research applies mainly qualitative and creative methods to examine the experiences of bisexual individuals in mid- to later life.   This episode was produced by Elizabeth Ascroft (she/her).

In this ThinkBites episode, Dr Rebecca Jones is in conversation with Dr Helen Bowes-Catton and Dr Sarah Jen about researching bisexuality and queerness across generations.   In part 1, Rebecca, Helen, and Sarah explore how meaning around identities, behaviours and attractions are made among bisexual and queer communities. Reflecting on the liminalities of age, they bring our attention to the richness of bisexual and queer identities and foreground the need to reflect this in our research.   In part 2, Rebecca, Helen, and Sarah offer their experiences as life course researchers and speak to some of their approaches and methods connecting with bisexual and queer communities. In this episode, you’ll hear about the realm of possibilities that emerge from cornucopias of craft materials, visual maps, life history reviews and love letters. Tune in to hear about their visions for future research and an exciting opportunity to contribute to the new Routledge book of bisexuality too!      Bios:     Dr Rebecca Jones (she/her) @remembermyhat (X/Bluesky) - is a Senior Lecturer in Health at The Open University, UK. She researches and teaches about sexuality across the life course and reimagining ageing in more inclusive ways. She specialises in the ageing of LGBTQ+ people and is particularly known for her work on bisexuality and ageing.   Dr Helen Bowes-Catton @helenbowescatton (X) (she/her)- is a Lecturer in Social Research Methods at The Open University, UK. She researches lived experiences of subjectivity and space in a variety of contexts, and is currently co-editing The Routledge International Handbook of Bisexuality, for which she is seeking further submissions-  https://helenbowescatton.com/2023/09/30/second-call-for-chapter-proposals-routledge-international-handbook-of-bisexuality/   Dr Sarah Jen (she/her) - Sarah is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas School of Social Work. Her research applies mainly qualitative and creative methods to examine the experiences of bisexual individuals in mid- to later life.   This episode was produced by Elizabeth Ascroft (she/her).

In this second ThinkBites episode, Dr. Aaron Mvula and Dr. Ayomide Oluseye are in conversation with (host) Elise Denis-Ramirez about their PhD research on early parenthood in Nigeria and Zambia. Aaron and Ayomide both used creative methods to explore early parenthood. This episode is an honest reflection about the inspiration, joy, and the difficult decisions they had to make along their creative PhD research journey.   In Part 1, Aaron and Ayomide reflect on how questioning gender norms and morals influenced their decision to focus on early parenthood. They discuss how to navigate both being an “insider” and “outsider” in their research contexts, while exploring power dynamics and finding creative ways for the research participants to bring their full selves into the research. In Part 2, they continue the conversation around creative research through a practical reflection around the challenges of using photo elicitation and how to navigate ethical concerns during the research process. They end Part 2 with an inspiring reflection on their findings on challenging negative understandings of early parenthood. Bios Aaron Mvula recently completed his PhD at the Open University. His PhD research focused on young fatherhood, exploring lived experiences of unmarried fathers in rural Zambia. Ayomide Oluseye is a Nigerian postdoctoral fellow at The Open University and her PhD explored the lived experiences of pregnancy and motherhood among unmarried young mothers in rural Nigeria. Elise Denis-Ramirez is a Danish/Chilean feminist researcher. Her PhD research at the Open University is exploring abortion, reproduction and sexuality during adolescence in Chile. Elise is driven by participatory research that is creative, gender transformative and intersectional. This episode was produced by Elise Denis-Ramirez.

In this second ThinkBites episode, Dr. Aaron Mvula and Dr. Ayomide Oluseye are in conversation with (host) Elise Denis-Ramirez about their PhD research on early parenthood in Nigeria and Zambia. Aaron and Ayomide both used creative methods to explore early parenthood. This episode is an honest reflection about the inspiration, joy, and the difficult decisions they had to make along their creative PhD research journey.   In Part 1, Aaron and Ayomide reflect on how questioning gender norms and morals influenced their decision to focus on early parenthood. They discuss how to navigate both being an “insider” and “outsider” in their research contexts, while exploring power dynamics and finding creative ways for the research participants to bring their full selves into the research. In Part 2, they continue the conversation around creative research through a practical reflection around the challenges of using photo elicitation and how to navigate ethical concerns during the research process. They end Part 2 with an inspiring reflection on their findings on challenging negative understandings of early parenthood. Bios Aaron Mvula recently completed his PhD at the Open University. His PhD research focused on young fatherhood, exploring lived experiences of unmarried fathers in rural Zambia. Ayomide Oluseye is a Nigerian postdoctoral fellow at The Open University and her PhD explored the lived experiences of pregnancy and motherhood among unmarried young mothers in rural Nigeria. Elise Denis-Ramirez is a Danish/Chilean feminist researcher. Her PhD research at the Open University is exploring abortion, reproduction and sexuality during adolescence in Chile. Elise is driven by participatory research that is creative, gender transformative and intersectional. This episode was produced by Elise Denis-Ramirez.

In this two-part ThinkBites episode, Elizabeth Ascroft and Elise Denis-Ramirez reflect on their PhD research working with young people in the field of sexual reproductive health and rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. This episode captures their ongoing conversations around curating and facilitating spaces for creative, participatory, and action-based research.   In part 1, they ask each other questions about making connections with participants, how it felt the morning of their first workshop and their standout moments. In part 2, the two reflect the tensions around ethics and collective knowledge production and what this means for practice. They wrap up with some of their top tips for those looking to enhance their practice working with young people.  This episode offers food for thought on power and creativity in action-based approaches and is a thoughtful resource for all those interested in participatory research.  Bios:  Elizabeth Ascroft is a PhD student at Open University in the UK and her research explores the process of co-creating sexuality education materials with young people in Aruba. Elizabeth is a researcher, activist and a creative and is most inspired when delving into her never-ending creative methods.   Elise Denis-Ramirez is a Danish/Chilean feminist researcher. Her PhD research at the Open University is exploring abortion, reproduction and sexuality during adolescence in Chile. Elise is driven by participatory research that is creative, gender transformative and intersectional. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Ascroft.

In this two-part ThinkBites episode, Elizabeth Ascroft and Elise Denis-Ramirez reflect on their PhD research working with young people in the field of sexual reproductive health and rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. This episode captures their ongoing conversations around curating and facilitating spaces for creative, participatory, and action-based research.   In part 1, they ask each other questions about making connections with participants, how it felt the morning of their first workshop and their standout moments. In part 2, the two reflect the tensions around ethics and collective knowledge production and what this means for practice. They wrap up with some of their top tips for those looking to enhance their practice working with young people.  This episode offers food for thought on power and creativity in action-based approaches and is a thoughtful resource for all those interested in participatory research.      Bios:  Elizabeth Ascroft is a PhD student at Open University in the UK and her research explores the process of co-creating sexuality education materials with young people in Aruba. Elizabeth is a researcher, activist and a creative and is most inspired when delving into her never-ending creative methods.   Elise Denis-Ramirez is a Danish/Chilean feminist researcher. Her PhD research at the Open University is exploring abortion, reproduction and sexuality during adolescence in Chile. Elise is driven by participatory research that is creative, gender transformative and intersectional. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Ascroft.

We are launching our new series ThinkBites!

In this episode, speakers Edem Ntumy (Reproductive Justice Initiative), Professor Emeritus Patricia Maguire (Feminist Trailblazers & Good Troublemakers Podcast), Dr Camilla Fitzsimons (Maynooth University) and host Elise Denis-Ramirez (Open University) meet to discuss reproductive justice in the context of participation and feminist knowledge creation. Listen in on a thought-provoking intergenerational podcast about autonomy, reproductive resistance, and the importance of centring community knowledge. Our panellists draw from their experiences linking feminist research and activism while advocating for social change. Recorded on Wednesday 21 June 2023 as a live podcast hosted by the Open University’s Reproduction, Sexualities and Sexual Health Research Group.  This episode was produced by Elise Denis-Ramirez.   Links to resources:  Edem Barbara Ntumy https://decolonisingcontraception.com/   Professor Emeritus Patricia Maguire https://www.parfemtrailblazers.net/   Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oWKMvXTjOrfzuO1bryd2n     Dr Camilla FitzsimonsDigital Repository of Ireland where some of the raw data from research I carried out prior to Ireland’s referendum on abortion has been uploaded along with chapter 1 of my book Repealed. https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/2n506t51c    Elise Denis-Ramirez https://www.open.ac.uk/people/ebdr2   Want to read more about Reproductive Justice? See here recommended sources from our speakers here: https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice https://read.dukeupress.edu/meridians/article-abstract/10/2/42/138498/What-is-Reproductive-Justice-How-Women-of-Color?redirectedFrom=fulltext https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520288201/reproductive-justice Norwood, Carolette, Farrah Jacquez, Thembi Carr, Stef Murawsky, Key Beck, and Amy Tuttle. "Reproductive Justice, Public Black Feminism in Practice: A Reflection on Community-Based Participatory Research in Cincinnati."  Societies 12, no. 1 (2022): 17.  Soto-Ponce, Belen, Manuel Garcia-Ramirez, and Lucía Jiménez. (2023) "Romani Girls Matter: Developing a Participatory Action Research Protocol for Reproductive Justice."  In Healthcare, vol. 11, no. 5, p. 755. MDPI, 2023.  Wilson, K. (2018). For reproductive justice in an era of Gates and Modi: the violence of India's population policies. Feminist Review, 119(1), 89-105.  Sama Women’s Health & Surabhi Sharma, documentary (commercial surrogacy, India) – “Can we see the baby bump, please?’ https://samawomenshealth.in/can-we-see-the-baby-bump-please/   DAWN on their work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including their groundbreaking work on Reproductive Rights and Population: Feminist Voices from the South produced for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in 1994. It placed SRHR firmly within development, questioning neoliberalism and neoconservatism.  Nandagiri, Rishita (2022) ‘I feel like some kind of namoona’: examining sterilisation in women's abortion trajectories in India. In: Boydell, Victoria and Dow, Katharine, (eds.) Technologies of Reproduction Across the Lifecourse: Expanding Reproductive Studies. Emerald Studies in Reproduction, Culture and Society. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, UK, 29 - 47. ISBN 9781800717343  Nandagiri, Rishita (2021) What’s so troubling about ‘voluntary’ family planning anyway? A feminist perspective. Population Studies, 75 (S1). 221 - 234. ISSN 1477-4747 http://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2021.1996623 (OA) Berro Pizzarossaa, Lucía and Nandagiri, Rishita (2021) Self-managed abortion: a constellation of actors, a cacophony of laws? Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 29 (1). ISSN 2641-0397 http://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.1899764 (OA)