Family Formation through Surrogacy and Governance of Body: A Case Study of Australia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18293
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 80030:Gender studies-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Fujita Tomoko 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究院, 講師 (20782783)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 生殖補助医療 / 代理懐胎 / 生殖ツーリズム / 身体の統治 / 家族統治 / ジェンダー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using Australia as a case study, this research aimed at analyzing the　transformations of families and reproduction of family norms in the context of globalization and the development of reproductive medicine, and thereby to theoretically examine the governing of body and family through assisted reproductive technologies. The study particularly focused on cross-border reproductive care or fertility tourism as well as the regulation and debates surrounding assisted reproductive technologies including surrogacy in Australia since the late 2000s. It clarified how social norms are reproduced through these processes, while providing theoretical insights into the issue of reproductive technologies entering women's bodies and their bodily autonomy and illustrating the complex network of technologies of power governing families in contemporary society.

Free Research Field

社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、生殖補助医療の利用や規制を通して再生産される家族規範やジェンダー規範を分析すると同時に、ジェンダーを超えて人々の家族へのこだわりが再生産される過程についても分析した点、そしてそのうえで、家族統治という観点から生殖補助医療をめぐる権力のあり方について理論的に考察した点にある。本研究の成果を論文や学会報告等で公表することで、研究対象となっているオーストラリアのみならず、生殖補助医療の利用を規制する法律の整備が遅れる日本に対しても、学術上、そして政策上の貢献ができたと考える。