Reproduction research: From complexity to methodological innovation

• Published in: Methodological innovations Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1 - 4
• Main Authors: Hudson, Nicky, Baldwin, Kylie, Herbrand, Cathy, Buhler, Nolwenn, Daly, Irenee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2019; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Attention; Childrearing practices; Gender studies; Innovations; Medical technology; Methodological approaches; Parents & parenting; Reproduction; Research methodology; Researchers; Science and technology; Social reality; Social sciences; Sociology of science; Technology; Well being; feminism; complexity; Reproduction; qualitative methods
• ISSN: 2059-7991; 2059-7991
• DOI: 10.1177/2059799119829427

The study of human reproduction has developed into a rich and innovative theme within the social sciences. However, little systematic or specific consideration has been given to the means by which scholars working on the rapidly evolving world of reproduction have adapted, innovated and utilised research methods and philosophical dilemmas within their work. There has also been little systematic attention given to the ways in which classical methodological questions – such as the nature of social reality or the ways in which individuals are enmeshed within wider social structures – are applied or reformulated specifically in the growing field of ‘reproduction studies’. In this special issue, we bring together a collection of papers which begin to address such questions within this rapidly developing field. In the context of a special issue about methodological innovation in reproduction research, a pertinent question relates to the specificity of reproduction as a case for consideration. What characteristics make this field of interest in methodological terms? How might it differ from or intersect with, for example, family and parenting studies, science and technology studies, gender studies or studies of health and well-being more generally? Can or should we claim that methodological innovation in this field is distinct from the ways in which researchers innovate in other areas of social inquiry? In this special issue, we invite reproduction researchers (both as authors and readers) to more closely consider these questions in their own work, and to prioritise thinking which aims to catalyse wider debate and discussion. To this end, we use this introduction to identify a number of central characteristics of reproduction research, drawing on examples from the wider field (though this is not in any way intended as an exhaustive review), as well as the contributions to this issue, to make our argument that reproduction studies demands increased methodological attention.