Reproductive Citizenship: Comparative analysis of effects of differential pathways to legalising abortion on Island of Ireland on Service User Articulations of Citizenship

ABOUT REPROCIT

Until 2019, abortion was illegal, with little exception, on both parts of the island of Ireland. On both parts of the island, legal change has meant abortion care is now a part of legal reproductive health care. For people seeking abortion care since 2019, this has meant being able to access abortion care at home, where previously they would have had to travel abroad. 

This study explores how women and people who can get pregnant feel about their sense of belonging in each country because they can now access this care at home. We are interested to see how the legal regulation of reproductive health shapes people’s sense of belonging to the state they live in, or what we call reproductive citizenship. 

We want to capture how the historic changes impacted on women and people who can get pregnant across the island. We want to interview people who have had abortions since legalisation about the legal change and how it was brought about to hear if this has impacted on their sense of belonging. We will do this through confidential, one-to-one interviews with people who have accessed abortion in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland since legalisation. Below is the full study information.

You are being invited to take part in a research study about Reproductive Citizenship. This study is a collaboration between researchers in the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin and the School of Applied Policy and Social Sciences, Ulster University. The research team have extensive experience in abortion policy, and in researching the experiences of those who have had abortions. The purpose of the study is to explore how women and people who can get pregnant feel about their sense of belonging in Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland following legal change after 2018. We are also interviewing those involved in providing abortions or information about provision since the law was changed. Participation is voluntary. Before you decide if you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what taking part involves. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. You can contact the research team ROI: Dr Kate Antosik-Parsons by email: kantosik@tcd.ie or NI: Emma Campbell by email: e.campbell@ulster.ac.uk