Doctors and Demonstrators: How Political Institutions Shape Abortion Law in the United States, Britain, and Canada
Drew Halfmann
Abstract
Since Roe v. Wade, abortion has continued to be a divisive political issue in the United States. In contrast, it has remained primarily a medical issue in Britain and Canada despite the countries’ shared heritage. This book looks beyond simplistic cultural or religious explanations to find out why abortion politics and policies differ so dramatically in these otherwise similar countries. It argues that political institutions are the key. In the United States, federalism, judicial review, and a private healthcare system contributed to the public definition of abortion as an individual right rat ... More
Since Roe v. Wade, abortion has continued to be a divisive political issue in the United States. In contrast, it has remained primarily a medical issue in Britain and Canada despite the countries’ shared heritage. This book looks beyond simplistic cultural or religious explanations to find out why abortion politics and policies differ so dramatically in these otherwise similar countries. It argues that political institutions are the key. In the United States, federalism, judicial review, and a private healthcare system contributed to the public definition of abortion as an individual right rather than a medical necessity. Meanwhile, the book explains, the porous structure of American political parties gave pro-choice and pro-life groups the opportunity to move the issue onto the political agenda.
Keywords:
Roe v. Wade,
abortion,
political institutions,
federalism,
judicial review,
private health care,
individual right,
political parties,
pro-life groups
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2011 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780226313429 |
| Published to Chicago Scholarship Online: September 2013 |
DOI:10.7208/chicago/9780226313443.001.0001 |
