Speaker Series: Elin Naurin

The Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship presents:

Elin Naurin (University of Gothenburg, Sweden)

The Political Effects of Pregnancy

You can learn more about Professor Naurin by clicking here.

Where and When: Friday, April 12, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00pm. Room 404, Thomson House, McGill University.

Abstract: It is widely believed that pregnancy and birth-giving are life-changing experiences for most women and their partners. Still, there are few systematic studies of how pregnancy and childbirth matter to the individual’s political development. In this talk, the head of the recently started Gothenburg Research Program on Pregnancy and Politics will give her first official overview of project results focusing, among other things, on the effects of pregnancy on political attentiveness and political participation. Data comes from a unique large-scale panel survey (N=60,000) where respondents who eventually become pregnant (and partners of pregnant women) are followed until a year after childbirth. Results show that pregnancy and birth-giving demobilize women to pay less attention to political information and to express lower interest in politics in general. This phenomenon lasts at least until the baby is 12 months of age, and it is not observed in male partners of pregnant women, suggesting a significant – and previously unproven – political consequence of pregnancy. Results are important as they highlight understudied biological and psychological mechanisms behind the well-known gender gap in political knowledge and efficacy. In addition, the implication is that pregnancy in itself ­­– and not only parenthood – entails a political process for the individual and should be studied as such. The talk will also include recent results on how pregnancy and early parenthood change emotions as well as policy opinions.

The event will be live on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CECD.CSDC/

Learn more about our Speaker Series Events here: http://csdc-cecd.ca/events/csdc-speaker-series/

This series is sponsored by the Inter-university Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship, which is funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC).