Choice and Coercion

“Schoen successfully reveals what has been a misunderstood history of the agency and coercion involved in the relationship between women’s bodies and the state. This book is a valuable contribution to the history of medicine, public health and welfare, women’s rights and the impact of state policy on individual women and their families in the United States and around the world.”—Journal of American Studies

“Schoen has given us a well-documented twentieth-century history of the struggle over reproductive rights grounded in politics and culture, a richly nuanced sociological account drawing from interviews and original documents, and a passionate argument for the importance of securing the citizen’s right to birth control.”—American Journal of Sociology

“A striking corrective to simplistic misconceptions that reproductive control had only negative connotations for working-class or African American women who were subject to eugenic state sterilization policies. . . . Schoen has provided a thoughtful, rigorous, and original study of women’s multifaceted interaction with state reproductive policy.”—Journal of American History

“A must read for anyone interested in reproductive issues. . . . The reclamation of women’s motivation in securing access to services, as well as the positive portrayal of some health and state officials, is a breath of fresh air.”—Journal of Southern History

“Schoen analyzes how news reports can water down historical complexity and stifle further discussion, and how apologies can mislead the public into thinking that problems have been solved and impoverished women’s reproductive rights are secure.”—Journal of African American History

“This is an important study, one that rightfully places North Carolina’s story squarely on the historical map.”—American Historical Review

“A well-written book . . . [that has] the sort of impact that many academics dream of initiating and rarely achieve.”—Journal of Interdisciplinary History

“Skillfully demonstrates the global impact of these earlier twentieth century debates and imperial relationships. . . . Schoen skillfully positions her work within the wider study of women’s reproduction history.”—Material Culture

“An insightful and engaging account of local, national, and international struggles over the control of women’s fertility. . . . Should be read by students and researchers alike interested in the American South, medicine, state formation, and the intersections of gender, race, and class.”—North Carolina Historical Review

“The material on North Carolina [is] compelling and highly accessible.”—Journal of the History of Medicine