HST 113 - The Birds & The Bees

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirement HU.
This course offers an introduction to the history of reproduction in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Topics include histories of birth control, fertility, sex education, pregnancy, maternal and fetal health, gynecology, and childbirth. We will explore tensions between individuals, community groups, the medical profession, and government agencies regarding sexual and reproductive health in the United States. We will also examine how medical and public health knowledge and practice have changed over time. An important part of this course will be to question how religious, socio-economic, and racial status influenced the reproductive lives of men and women throughout American history.