Abortion and the law in America : Roe v. Wade to the present

"With the Supreme Court likely to reverse Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion decision, American debate appears fixated on clashing rights. The first comprehensive legal history of a vital period, Abortion in America illuminates an entirely different and unexpected shift in the terms of debate. Rather than simply championing rights, Mary Ziegler shows, those on opposing sides battled about the policy costs and benefits of abortion and laws restricting it. This mostly unknown turn deepened polarization in ways many have missed. Never abandoning their constitutional demands, pro-choice and pro-life advocates increasingly disagreed about the basic facts. Drawing on unexplored records and interviews with key participants, Ziegler complicates the view that the Supreme Court is responsible for the escalation of the conflict. A gripping account of social-movement divides and crucial legal strategies, this book delivers a definitive recent history of an issue that transforms American law and politics to this day"-- Provided by the publisher With The Supreme Court Likely To Reverse Roe V. Wade, The Landmark Abortion Decision, American Debate Appears Fixated On Clashing Rights. The First Comprehensive Legal History Of A Vital Period, Abortion And The Law In America Illuminates An Entirely Different And Unexpected Shift In The Terms Of Debate. Rather Than Simply Championing Rights, Those On Opposing Sides Battled About The Policy Costs And Benefits Of Abortion And Laws Restricting It. This Mostly Unknown Turn Deepened Polarization In Ways Many Have Missed. Never Abandoning Their Constitutional Demands, Pro-choice And Pro-life Advocates Increasingly Disagreed About The Basic Facts. Drawing On Unexplored Records And Interviews With Key Participants, Ziegler Complicates The View That The Supreme Court Is Responsible For The Escalation Of The Conflict. A Gripping Account Of Social-movement Divides And Crucial Legal Strategies, This Book Delivers A Definitive Recent History Of An Issue That Transforms American Law And Politics To This Day. Acknowledgments page ix Timeline xi List of Abbreviations xv Introduction 1 1 Roe v. Wade and the Rise of Rights Arguments 11 2 The Hyde Amendment and Its Aftermath 27 3 Launching a Quest to Reverse Roe 58 4 Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Family, and Equal Citizenship 88 5 Contesting the Relationship between Abortion and Health Care 121 6 Partial-Birth Abortion and Who Decides the Costs and Benefits 150 7 Polarization, Religious Liberty, and the War on Women 181 Conclusion 207 Notes 213 Index 303 With the Supreme Court likely to reverse Roe v. Wade, the decision legalizing abortion, American debate appears fixated on clashing rights. The first comprehensive look at the legal history of recent decades, this book illuminates an unexpected shift toward arguments about policy costs and benefits - one that deepened polarization.