While the population of most Central and Eastern European countries tends to decline, with a low birth rate and fertility rate, governments are increasingly advocating pro-natalist or even pro-family policies to ensure the replacement of generations and an economic balance for the country.
This determination on the part of the authorities reflected in public policies of varying degrees of activity and financial resources, complements or, depending on the case, clashes with the habits of societies that have undergone significant changes in this area over the last thirty years and now have to come to terms with their contradictions.
In such a context, rituals endure, almost as cultural and identity markers.
Regard sur l'Est looks at how welcoming a newborn from Prague to Bishkek into the world is more than just an intimate event.
When the government gets involved
- Birth-oriented, family-oriented public policies
- Appropriate health infrastructures
- Legislation: contraception, abortion, PMA, GPA, surrogate mothers, adoption, eugenics, etc.
- Childcare (financial benefits, maternity leave, childcare facilities, etc.)
Pressure from society
- Delivery methods
- Breastfeeding
- Girl/boy, number of children...
Rituals and the arts
- Celebrating the arrival of a new baby
- Choosing a first name, imposing a surname, establishing filiation
- Birth in the arts
Please submit your subject proposals (preliminary title and 4-5 line summary) by 1 February 2024:
Project manager: Céline Bayou
Deadline for articles (10,000 characters): 1st April 2024
Link to the French version of the article
Thumbnail: Pregnant Lady, Chana Orloff (1916) - currently on show at the Musée Zadkine (photo Céline Bayou).
