Abstract
During the past two decades, Denmark has developed in to an important destination for fertility travellers in need of donor sperm. Furthermore, two of the largest sperm banks in Europe have been established in Denmark, exporting sperm globally. This development has taken place at the same time as the use of donated sperm continuously has been debated as an ethical issue, and increasingly been regulated.
In this presentation I will discuss how Denmark became a destination for fertility travelling (sperm donation) as a result of various subversive strategies of family making. The article inquires into how the bending of boundaries by “inappropriate parents”, fertility travellers, private sperm banks and fertility clinics have been part in negotiating the changes of the legislation in practice, and thus been part of developing a Danish industry of sperm banking.
The presentation is based on a multi-sited ethnography drawing on ethnographic research including observations and interviews from fertility clinics and sperm banks in Denmark during 2002/2003 and 2011- 2013, legislative documents and websites of fertility clinics and sperm banks.
The presentation is methodologically inspired by Adele Clarke’s situational analysis based on Anselm Strauss’ social world arena theory, and Donna Haraways situated knowledges.
In this presentation I will discuss how Denmark became a destination for fertility travelling (sperm donation) as a result of various subversive strategies of family making. The article inquires into how the bending of boundaries by “inappropriate parents”, fertility travellers, private sperm banks and fertility clinics have been part in negotiating the changes of the legislation in practice, and thus been part of developing a Danish industry of sperm banking.
The presentation is based on a multi-sited ethnography drawing on ethnographic research including observations and interviews from fertility clinics and sperm banks in Denmark during 2002/2003 and 2011- 2013, legislative documents and websites of fertility clinics and sperm banks.
The presentation is methodologically inspired by Adele Clarke’s situational analysis based on Anselm Strauss’ social world arena theory, and Donna Haraways situated knowledges.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 8 Oct 2014 |
| Publication status | Published - 8 Oct 2014 |
| Event | INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR CRITICAL KINSHIP STUDIES. - SDU, Odense, Denmark Duration: 8 Oct 2014 → 10 Oct 2014 |
Conference
| Conference | INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR CRITICAL KINSHIP STUDIES. |
|---|---|
| Location | SDU |
| Country/Territory | Denmark |
| City | Odense |
| Period | 08/10/2014 → 10/10/2014 |