Babylost: Racism, Survival, and the Quiet Politics of Infant Mortality, from A to Z

Monica J. Casper

Published by Rutgers University Press 2021

Babylost

Racism, Survival, and the Quiet Politics of Infant Mortality, from A to Z

Monica J. Casper

https://doi.org/10.36019/9781978825987

Overview
Contents

About this book

The U.S. infant mortality rate is among the highest in the industrialized world, and Black babies are far more likely than white babies to die in their first year of life. Maternal mortality rates are also very high. Though the infant mortality rate overall has improved over the past century with public health interventions, racial disparities have not. Racism, poverty, lack of access to health care, and other causes of death have been identified, but not yet adequately addressed. The tragedy is twofold: it is undoubtedly tragic that babies die in their first year of life, and it is both tragic and unacceptable that most of these deaths are preventable. Despite the urgency of the problem, there has been little public discussion of infant loss. The question this book takes up is not why babies die; we already have many answers to this question. It is, rather, who cares that babies, mostly but not only Black and Native American babies, are dying before their first birthdays? More importantly, what are we willing to do about it? This book tracks social and cultural dimensions of infant death through 58 alphabetical entries, from Absence to ZIP Code. It centers women’s loss and grief, while also drawing attention to dimensions of infant death not often examined. It is simultaneously a sociological study of infant death, an archive of loss and grief, and a clarion call for social change.

Author / Editor information

MONICA J. CASPER is the dean of the College of Arts and Letters at San Diego State University in California. She is the author of The Making of the Unborn Patient (Rutgers University Press).

Reviews

“This book contains entries that are robust in their exploration of intersecting concerns around infant mortality. It is important, timely, and innovative.”

— Dána-Ain Davis, Author of Reproductive Injustice: Racism, Pregnancy, and Premature Birth

Clio Talks: Babylost: An Interview with Monica Casper by Lauren Freidenfelds

— Nursing Clio

“This is a moving, beautiful book. The composite effect is stunning, both an indictment of systemic racism and sexism, and a tender offering to those touched by baby loss... The text seamlessly weaves between the personal and the sociological, and is very accessible while also being nuanced and not sacrificing complexity.”

— Annie Menzel, Assistant professor of gender and women's studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
A Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	7
B Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	14
C Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	27
D Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	36
E Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	56
F Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	62
G Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
H Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	76
I Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	79
J Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	89
K Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
L Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	95
M Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
N Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	114
O Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	123
P Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	130
Q Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	143
R Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	146
S Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
T Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
U Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	170
V Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
W Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	177
X Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	186
Y Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	190
Z Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	195
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	255