The New Civil War

The Psychology, Culture, and Politics of Abortion

in English, 406 pages,
American Psychological Assn, 1998
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Twenty-five years after Roe v. Wade, the ripple effect of that landmark ruling still rocks our culture, politics, and social relationships. Roe may have given women the right to choose abortion, but that difficult personal choice will always be embedded in many contexts. Autonomy, bodily integrity, and freedom—all at the heart of Roe—collide with other powerful forces whenever a woman considers ending her pregnancy.

The New Civil War: The Psychology, Culture, and Politics of Abortion examines the individual and combined influence of religion, morality, race, politics, personal history, sociopolitical context, and economics on a woman’s decision to continue or terminate her pregnancy. This exhaustive analysis of the way Americans feel about abortion reveals that, at core, abortion continues to be defined primarily as a moral issue, often at the expense of women’s health and well-being.