Ethical Child Birth in the Posthuman Society and Politics of Emotion

Abstract

This paper delves into the investigation of an expanded definition of subjectivity within posthuman society and its implications for the discourse on procreation. In the posthuman era, characterized by technological advancements and environmental shifts, the landscape of social reproduction is influenced. As humans undergo a transformative process, assuming a state that is both more and less than human, as posited by Rosi Braidotti, the ethical underpinnings of posthuman society necessitate an inclusive perspective that encompasses not only posthumans in the traditional sense of emerging technologies but also politically, socially, and environmentally vulnerable humans. Scrutinizing the moral dimensions of childbirth, this paper examines both conventional practices and those facilitated by posthuman technologies. Drawing upon Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments and Angela Chadwick’s XX, it elucidates how the discourse surrounding childbirth is shaped by social ideologies that curtail reproductive rights, regardless of technological progress. Emotions emerge as a crucial political mechanism, wherein moral judgments surrounding childbirth instigate social and individual tensions. Through an analysis of individual responses to the emotional politics portrayed in two novels, this paper explores the posthuman ethics associated with the discourse of childbirth, providing insights into the ideals that a new society should strive to embrace.