In many countries, abortion is a contentious public opinion issue. In nations like the United States, advocates on both sides of the debate have actively worked to amplify their voices and change legislation. In other parts of the world, such as China, abortion is not a major discussion topic because many residents may see it as a relatively settled issue. Legal developments often move in accordance with changes in public opinion, but not always. What explains differences in public opinion about abortion around the globe?
In Fetal Positions: Understanding Cross-National Public Opinion about Abortion, Dr. Amy Adamczyk makes the case that abortion disapproval is not randomly distributed across the world. In fact, patterns can be found across nations. Adamczyk shows that cross-national differences in public opinion can largely be explained based on a handful of factors--overall levels of religious belief, Catholic proportion, economic and educational development, type of government and government history, and gender inequality. Latin America, for example, is dominated by Catholicism, has high levels of religious belief, and low levels of abortion support. Conversely, while France and Spain have strong historical connections to the Catholic Church, the proportion who feel that religion is highly important is much lower, and attitudes are more liberal. By offering important insights that can only be gleaned through cross-national analysis, Fetal Positions provides an international focus and fresh perspective on the abortion debate.
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Adamczyk is a professor of sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Sociology and Criminal Justice Doctoral Programs at The Graduate Center. Her research focuses on how different contexts and personal religious beliefs shape people's deviant, moral, and health-related attitudes and behaviors. Her first book, Public Opinion about Homosexuality: Examining Attitudes Across the Globe, won the Outstanding Book Award from the International Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
