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Ann Taylor - visiting Research fellow from University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia will be giving a seminar paper on the 20th January 2004 from 17.00-18.00 in Franklin- Wilkins Building, Waterloo campus, King's College, London, room tbc http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/maa/waterloo.html Title Untested, Unnatural, Unfair: three critiques of medicalised childbirth played out in practice. Abstract In this paper I distinguish three elements of the critique of medicalised childbirth developed by feminist and non-feminist writers and researchers in the 1970s. I argue that these critiques, which are often elided rest on different epistemological assumptions and envisage different political futures. I relate these to the findings of my study of childbirth in a hospital in a regional town in New South Wales in the 1990s and discuss the extent to which childbirth in the Australian public system reflects the concerns of these critiques. Is care safe, effective and freely chosen? How much can hospital be made like home? What is the role of the public hospital in redressing disadvantage? If anyone would like to make contact and meet with Ann, her email is [log in to unmask] or through Caroline Kirby-Smith on x3023 [log in to unmask] best wishes Jane Sandall Dr Jane Sandall Professor of Midwifery and Women's Health Women & Family Health Research Group, King's College, Waterloo Bridge Wing, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NN Tel: 020 7848 3605 Fax: 020 7848 3764 e-mail:[log in to unmask] http://www.kcl.ac.uk/nursing/research/women.html