Fiona Bloomer is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at
Ulster University, UK.
Emma Campbell is Co-Convenor of Alliance for Choice (AFC) -
representing the thousands of people who have had, or need
abortions in NI - and PhD Candidate at Ulster University, UK.
These two volumes, Decriminalizing Abortion in Northern Ireland,
are a remarkable achievement. Bloomer and Campbell have pulled
together the voices of abortion seekers, abortion activists, people
working in non-government organisations, policy-makers and
academics to document how abortion was decrminialized in Northern
Ireland. Given the Northern Ireland political system (devolved
legislature; consociationalism), the stories told are complex and
deeply personal. Authors cover a vast array of topics, including
legal debates, abortion campaigns and struggles, alliances and
coalitions, strategic litigation, the confluence of local and
international dynamics, personal tragedies and resilience,
political acts of betrayal, research, protests, education,
silences, volunteerism, myths, misinformation, as well as the role
of international solidarity, the Irish diaspora, trade unions,
student movements, LGBTQ+ and women's movements, and the courageous
actions of various abortion providers. As pointed out by the
editors, "no one single action can ever deliver social change".
These books show, however, how concerted feminist effort can and
must win the day. The volumes are a must-read for anybody - whether
professionally or personally - interested in ensuring reproductive
justice and agency for people with uteri.
*Professor Catriona Macleod, Rhodes University, South Africa*
An excellent and inspiring account of the long movement for
abortion decriminalisation in Northern Ireland. The editors have
pulled together the accounts and analysis of key actors in the
campaign in order to provide original and comprehensive coverage of
the wide range of activities that made this success possible. This
is a timely publication, given recent attacks on abortion rights,
that will be invaluable for activists everywhere
*Professor Lesley Hoggart, The Open University, UK*
Decriminalizing Abortion in Northern Ireland is a deep dive into
the long road to decriminalisation, spanning two volumes and a
timeline of decades … These two volumes tell the rich history of
the abortion rights movement in NI, and how a constellation of
movements and actors came together to achieve decriminalisation.
They are a must-read for anyone researching abortion rights, and
for those unfamiliar with the NI context, provide a thorough
introduction
*Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies*
This book is a call to action. The work is hard. You will face
challenges. But with collective action, change is possible. Rights
– bodily autonomy, human dignity, accessibility – are essential and
worth fighting for.
*Irish Studies Review*
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