Critical ethnographic respect: womens’ narratives, material conditions, and emergency contraception in India

Abstract

Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) are increasingly available over the counter as a form of hormonal birth control in India. As use of ECPs is increasing over time, this paper draws on ethnographic research in Dehradun, in Uttarakhand (Northern State) to highlight the everyday material conditions under which women create narrative around choice and agency regarding these ECPs. Women viewed ECPs as better options than abortion, appreciated the sense of empowerment these provided them because they could be consumed in houses where women had limited ‘space and privacy;’ and finally that ECPs and their advertisements could act as ‘agents of social change.’ Feminist scholarship on reproduction demonstrates that choice is a form of agency that is enacted within certain constraints. Using this framework, the research here highlights how women create narratives about ideas of contraceptive choice and notions of ‘empowerment’ when talking about ECPs and their advertisements. In revisiting the dilemma about women’s agency and choice, this paper builds on Rosalind Gill’s concept of ‘critical respect’ to propose ‘critical ethnographic respect’ as an ethnographic tool to help read women’s responses and respectfully contextualise the materiality from within which these narratives emerge.

Keywords:

• Feminist medical anthropology
• agency
• choice
• emergency contraception
• critical ethnographic respect
• India

Acknowledgements

I would also like to thank Eli Elinoff for his helpful suggestions for restructuring this article and its argument. I would also like to thank the generous engagement from the two reviewers, whose feedback has substantially shaped this article.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was granted by the ethics review committee at George Mason University (Protocol #6326).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Pseudonyms are used for names of all interlocutors and organizations.

2 Dehradun is the capital city of newly formed state in India, Uttrakhand.

3 A three piece outfit worn by women, which includes loose fitting pants worn under a long shirt that typically comes to the knees and a scarf to drape across the top half of the shirt. Because of the comfort, cost of production, and the relatively ease in maintenance as compared to a sari, the salwar kameez is a much more popular choice of clothing amongst urban Indian women.

Additional information

Funding

This research and writing has been supported by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant in the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Program (Award No: 1026682) and George Mason University’s Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship.