Event Description
This talk examines philosophical changes concerning fetal ensoulment, racial heredity, and medical ethics in Bourbon, national, and revolutionary Mexico. Contributing to three historiographies—those of the Catholic enlightenment, science and medicine, and women and gender—O’Brien focuses on the surgical origins of religious, political, and cultural claims on unborn fetuses, while historicizing contemporary struggles over healthcare and abortion access.
Following the presentation, the Berkeley Latin American and Caribbean History (BLACH) Working Group will host a session to discuss a draft of O’Brien’s recent work. The session begins at 2:00 pm, and registration is required.
Speaker
Elizabeth O’Brien is Associate Professor of History of Medicine and Latin American History. Her research explores medicine, gender, race, religion, and empire in Latin America, with publications on fertility control, abortion, eugenics, and obstetric violence. Her book, Surgery and Salvation: The Roots of Reproductive Injustice in Mexico, 1770–1940 (UNC Press, 2023), has received numerous awards, including the 2025 William H. Welch Medal.
Co-sponsorship
Presented by the Berkeley Latin American and Caribbean History (BLACH) Working Group, supported by CLACS. Co-sponsored by the Townsend Center.