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Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
by David O. StewartAfter the Civil War, the nation came close to tearing itself apart, again, during the impeachment struggle between Congress and President Andrew Johnson in the spring of 1868.
Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
by David O. StewartIn 1868 Congress impeached President Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, the man who had succeeded the murdered Lincoln, bringing the nation to the brink of a second civil war. Enraged to see the freed slaves abandoned to brutal violence at the hands of their former owners, distraught that former rebels threatened to regain control of Southern state governments, and disgusted by Johnson's brawling political style, congressional Republicans seized on a legal technicality as the basis for impeachment -- whether Johnson had the legal right to fire his own secretary of war, Edwin Stanton.
The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation
by Brenda Wineapple“This absorbing and important book recounts the titanic struggle over the implications of the Civil War amid the impeachment of a defiant and temperamentally erratic American president.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Soul of America When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Vice-President Andrew Johnson became “the Accidental President,” it was a dangerous time in America. Congress was divided over how the Union should be reunited: when and how the secessionist South should regain full status, whether former Confederates should be punished, and when and whether black men should be given the vote. Devastated by war and resorting to violence, many white Southerners hoped to restore a pre–Civil War society, if without slavery, and the pugnacious Andrew Johnson seemed to share their goals. With the unchecked power of executive orders, Johnson ignored Congress, pardoned rebel leaders, promoted white supremacy, opposed civil rights, and called Reconstruction unnecessary. It fell to Congress to stop the American president who acted like a king. With profound insights and making use of extensive research, Brenda Wineapple dramatically evokes this pivotal period in American history, when the country was rocked by the first-ever impeachment of a sitting American president. And she brings to vivid life the extraordinary characters who brought that impeachment forward: the willful Johnson and his retinue of advocates—including complicated men like Secretary of State William Seward—as well as the equally complicated visionaries committed to justice and equality for all, like Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner, Frederick Douglass, and Ulysses S. Grant. Theirs was a last-ditch, patriotic, and Constitutional effort to render the goals of the Civil War into reality and to make the Union free, fair, and whole.Advance praise for The Impeachers “In this superbly lyrical work, Brenda Wineapple has plugged a glaring hole in our historical memory through her vivid and sweeping portrayal of President Andrew Johnson’s 1868 impeachment. She serves up not simply food for thought but a veritable feast of observations on that most trying decision for a democracy: whether to oust a sitting president. Teeming with fiery passions and unforgettable characters, The Impeachers will be devoured by contemporary readers seeking enlightenment on this issue. . . . A landmark study.”—Ron Chernow, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Grant
Impeachment: An American History
by Jon Meacham Timothy Naftali Peter Baker Jeffrey A. EngelFour experts on the American presidency examine the three times impeachment has been invoked—against Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton—and explain what it means today.Impeachment is a double-edged sword. Though it was designed to check tyrants, Thomas Jefferson also called impeachment “the most formidable weapon for the purpose of a dominant faction that was ever contrived.” On the one hand, it nullifies the will of voters, the basic foundation of all representative democracies. On the other, its absence from the Constitution would leave the country vulnerable to despotic leadership. It is rarely used, and with good reason. Only three times has a president’s conduct led to such political disarray as to warrant his potential removal from office, transforming a political crisis into a constitutional one. None has yet succeeded. Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 for failing to kowtow to congressional leaders—and, in a large sense, for failing to be Abraham Lincoln—yet survived his Senate trial. Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974 after the House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment against him for lying, obstructing justice, and employing his executive power for personal and political gain. Bill Clinton had an affair with a White House intern, but in 1999 he faced trial in the Senate less for that prurient act than for lying under oath about it. In the first book to consider these three presidents alone—and the one thing they have in common—Jeffrey A. Engel, Jon Meacham, Timothy Naftali, and Peter Baker explain that the basis and process of impeachment is more political than legal. The Constitution states that the president “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors,” leaving room for historical precedent and the temperament of the time to weigh heavily on each case. This book reveals the complicated motives behind each impeachment—never entirely limited to the question of a president’s guilt—and the risks to all sides. Each case depended on factors beyond the president’s behavior: his relationship with Congress, the polarization of the moment, and the power and resilience of the office itself. This is a realist view of impeachment that looks to history for clues about its potential use in the future.
Impeachment (Cornerstones of Freedom)
by Andrew SantellaSurveys the history of impeachment in the United States, discussing the basic rules and procedures and notable officials who have been impeached.
The Impeachment Diary: Eyewitness to the Removal of a President
by James RestonThis eyewitness account of the impeachment process against Richard Nixon holds lessons for our own time. James Reston, Jr., took leave from teaching during the summer of 1973 to witness the Senate Watergate Committee hearings as he worked with his coauthor on what became the first full-length book to advocate for Richard Nixon's impeachment. During the following summer, he returned to Washington, DC, to witness the final act of the impeachment drama, attending the Watergate trials, Supreme Court deliberations over executive privilege, and House Judiciary Committee hearings to consider and eventually vote on articles of impeachment. In the exciting days after the smoking gun tape was revealed, Reston joined the throng of reporters at the White House, hungry for news of Nixon's response. When he arrived in Washington, he decided to keep a diary. The Impeachment Diary is his contemporaneous account of those heady, uncertain times: when a president, having been investigated by a special counsel and Congress, was called to account for acts contrary to his oath and office, and fundamental questions about the Constitution were engaged. The diary offers lessons—both insights and cautions—for our own time. Former solicitor general of the United States and constitutional scholar Walter Dellinger has provided an introduction discussing the nature and meaning of impeachment and helping to draw the links between then and now.
Impeachment in a Global Context: Law, Politics, and Comparative Practice (Routledge Frontiers in Accountability Studies)
by Chris Monaghan Matthew Flinders Aziz Z. HuqThis volume considers the use of impeachment within a global context. The book brings together leading scholars and experts to give an insight into significant periods in the development of impeachment and its modern comparative use. Divided into five parts, the opening chapter introduces the topic and underlines its significance in terms of understanding the relationship and inter-dependence among politics, governance and the law. It also offers a novel conceptual framework that facilitates the global mapping of impeachment processes. Part I presents a thematic approach that explores the topic of impeachment through the lenses of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. With these themes in mind, Part II focuses on those parts of the world where impeachment is generally recognised as a core constitutional process including the United States, South Korea, Brazil and other countries in South America. Part III continues with the process of constitutional mapping by moving to a focus on those countries where impeachment is arguably an important but largely secondary or peripheral process. This includes chapters on Denmark, Iceland, Sri Lanka and the Philippines and flows through into Part IV’s focus on areas of the world where impeachment matters and may even be increasing in terms of visibility but, for a number of reasons, arguably exists within a satellite status in terms of constitutional processes and safeguards. The fifth and final section steps back in an attempt to assess impeachment processes from a broad comparative perspective. The collection presents the definitive text on impeachment for students and scholars with an interest in comparative public law, politics and constitutional studies.
The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln
by Stephen L. CarterFrom the best-selling author of The Emperor of Ocean Park and New England White, a daring reimagining of one of the most tumultuous moments in our nation's past Stephen L. Carter's thrilling new novel takes as its starting point an alternate history: President Abraham Lincoln survives the assassination attempt at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. Two years later he is charged with overstepping his constitutional authority, both during and after the Civil War, and faces an impeachment trial . . . Twenty-one-year-old Abigail Canner is a young black woman with a degree from Oberlin, a letter of employment from the law firm that has undertaken Lincoln's defense, and the iron-strong conviction, learned from her late mother, that "whatever limitations society might place on ordinary negroes, they would never apply to her." And so Abigail embarks on a life that defies the norms of every stratum of Washington society: working side by side with a white clerk, meeting the great and powerful of the nation, including the president himself. But when Lincoln's lead counsel is found brutally murdered on the eve of the trial, Abigail is plunged into a treacherous web of intrigue and conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the divided government. Here is a vividly imagined work of historical fiction that captures the emotional tenor of post-Civil War America, a brilliantly realized courtroom drama that explores the always contentious question of the nature of presidential authority, and a galvanizing story of political suspense.
The Impeachment of Governor Sulzer: A Story of American Politics (Excelsior Editions)
by Matthew L. LifflanderWinner of the 2012 Isabelle Hermalyn Award of New York Urban History presented by the Bronx County Historical SocietyIn The Impeachment of Governor Sulzer, Matthew L. Lifflander brings to life the dramatic story of a forgotten incident in New York State political history. When William Sulzer was elected to the office of governor of New York State in November 1912, it represented the culmination of a long and successful career in politics. The son of a German immigrant father and a Scotch-Irish American mother, Sulzer (1863–1941) rose through the powerful Tammany Hall machine to become the youngest man ever to serve as speaker of the New York State Assembly. In 1894, he was elected to Congress, where he served with distinction for eighteen years, rising to chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. When he became governor, it was with the support of the Tammany Hall machine, and everyone expected that he would duly perform his duties under the direction of Tammany boss Charles F. Murphy.Political reform and the corrupt influence of political machines were significant issues of the day, however, and shortly after Sulzer's election he began to project a populist "man of the people" image, announcing that he "belonged to no man." After he rejected some of Murphy's recommendations for key appointments and initiated investigations into corrupt state officials—many of them with Tammany connections—it was decided that he was a threat to the party bosses and had to be removed. Incredibly, less than a year after his election to the highest office in New York State, Sulzer had been impeached and removed.In addition to shedding light on the career of one of the most interesting and colorful figures in American political history, The Impeachment of Governor Sulzer explores legal, moral, and political issues that continue to this day, including pervasive questions about money and politics.
Impeccable Credentials
by Ellie ThomasSequel to Petticoats and PantaloonsOutwardly, twenty-one-year-old Julian Buchanan is the epitome of wealth, breeding and good looks. He’s a pink of the ton in Regency London, and his position in society is assured. But beneath his impeccable surface, Julian is riddled with doubt.Matters come to a head in the autumn of 1812 when his autocratic father, Sir Roger Buchanan, orders Julian to court an heiress and propose marriage. Finally, Julian must acknowledge that he has no interest in women. At the same time, he becomes involved with Rafe Ingles, a radical intellectual whose beliefs concur with Julian’s inward convictions.With pressure building and so much at stake, can Julian find the courage to break the habit of a lifetime and choose love and freedom over duty?
The Impending Crisis: America Before the Civil War, 1848-1861 (Oxford History of the United States)
by David M. PotterDavid M. Potter’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book is the definitive history of antebellum America. Potter’s sweeping epic masterfully charts the chaotic forces of 1848 to 1861 that climaxed with the outbreak of the Civil War: westward expansion, the divisive issue of slavery, the Dred Scott decision, John Brown’s uprising, the ascension of Abraham Lincoln, and the drama of Southern secession. Now available in a new edition, The Impending Crisis remains one of the most celebrated works of American historical writing.
Imperatores Victi: Military Defeat and Aristocractic Competition in the Middle and Late Republic
by Nathan S. RosensteinGiven the intense competition among aristocrats seeking public office in the middle and late Roman Republic, one would expect that their persistent struggles for honor, glory, and power could have seriously undermined the state or damaged the cohesiveness of the ruling class. Rome in fact depended on aristocratic competition, since no professional bureaucracy directed public affairs and no salary was attached to any public office. But as Rosenstein adeptly shows, competition appears to have been surprisingly limited, in ways that curtailed the possible destructive effects of all-out contests between individuals.Imperatores Victi examines one particularly striking case of such checks on competition. Military success at all times represented an abundant source of prestige and political strength at Rome. Generals who led armies to victory enjoyed a better-than-average chance of securing higher office upon their return from the field. Yet this study demonstrates that defeated generals were not barred from public office and in fact went on to win the Republic's most highly coveted and hotly contested offices in numbers virtually identical with those of their undefeated peers. Rosenstein explores how this unexpected limit to competition functions, reviewing beliefs about the religious origins of defeat, assumptions about common soldiers' duties in battle, and definitions of honorable behavior of an aristocrat during a crisis. These perspectives were instrumental in shifting the onus of failure away from a general's person and in offering positive strategies a general might use to win glory and respect even in defeat and to silence potential critics among a failed general's peers. Such limits to competition had an impact on the larger problems of stability and coherence in the Republic and its political elite; these larger problems are discussed in the concluding chapter. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1990.
Imperatrice Wu Zetian
by Laurel A. RockefellerLa donna più odiata nella storia della Cina! Viaggia indietro nel tempo di più di mille anni e incontra la prima e unica imperatrice donna della Cina. Nata come Wu Zhao e nominata col titolo reale di "Zetian" poche settimane prima della sua morte nel 705 DC, era la figlia non voluta del Cancelliere Wu Shihuo -- troppo intelligente, troppo acculturata, e troppo concentrata politicamente per farne una buona moglie secondo le interpretazioni dell'epoca dei Dialoghi di Confucio. C'è da meravigliarsi che ancora oggi rimanga la donna più odiata di tutta la storia cinese e una delle sue più controverse? Esplora la vita dell'Imperatrice Wu e scopri perchè il mondo è un posto completamente diverso perché ha osato ciò che nessuna donna in Cina prima o da allora ha mai sognato.
Imperatriz Matilde da Inglaterra
by Laurel A. RockefellerA leoa destemida da Inglaterra! Nascida em 1102 para o rei Henry da Inglaterra e para a rainha Matilde da Escócia, a ancestralidade normanda, saxã e escocesa de Matilde estava destinada a unificar a Inglaterra ainda dividida pela conquista do avô em 1066. Quando o Desastre do Barco Branco, em 1120, fez dela a única filha sobrevivente de seus pais, Matilde de repente se tornou herdeira do trono inglês em uma época em que o velho Witan saxão, e não o testamento do rei, ainda decidia a sucessão. Descubra a verdadeira história da primeira mulher a reivindicar o trono inglês por direito próprio e inspire-se! Inclui a árvore genealógica da família de Matilde, uma linha do tempo detalhada e uma lista de sugestões de leituras para que você possa continuar aprendendo.
Imperatriz Matilde da Inglaterra: Edição do estudante – professor
by Laurel A. RockefellerA leoa destemida da Inglaterra! Nascida em 1102 para o rei Henry da Inglaterra e para a rainha Matilde da Escócia, a ancestralidade normanda, saxã e escocesa de Matilde estava destinada a unificar a Inglaterra ainda dividida pela conquista do avô em 1066. Quando o Desastre do Barco Branco, em 1120, fez dela a única filha sobrevivente de seus pais, Matilde de repente se tornou herdeira do trono inglês em uma época em que o velho Witan saxão, e não o testamento do rei, ainda decidia a sucessão. Descubra a verdadeira história da primeira mulher a reivindicar o trono inglês por direito próprio e inspire-se! Esta edição do estudante – professor inclui perguntas para estudo desafiadoras depois de cada capítulo, além de uma linha do tempo detalhada e uma extensa lista com leituras sugeridas.
Imperatriz Wǔ Zétiān
by Laurel A. Rockefeller Roberto Carlos Pavón CarreónA mulher mais odiada da história chinesa! Viaje no tempo mais de mil anos e conheça o primeiro e único imperador do sexo feminino da China. Nascido Wǔ Zhào e dado o título reinado "Zétiān" apenas algumas semanas antes de sua morte em 705 dC, ela era a filha indesejada do chanceler Wǔ Shihuo - muito brilhante, muito instruída e muito politicamente focada para fazer uma boa esposa de acordo com interpretações contemporâneas dos Analectos de Confúcio. Ela pode ser de admirar que até hoje ela continua a ser a mulher mais odiada em toda a história chinesa e um dos seus mais controversos? Explore a vida da imperatriz Wǔ e descubra por que o mundo é um lugar muito diferente, porque ela ousou o que nenhuma mulher na China antes ou desde sempre sonhou.
Imperfect Balance: Landscape Transformations in the Pre-Columbian Americas
by David L. LentzWe often envision the New World before the arrival of the Europeans as a land of pristine natural beauty and undisturbed environments. However, David Lentz offers an alternative view by detailing the impact of native cultures on these ecosystems prior to their contact with Europeans. Drawing on a wide range of experts from the fields of paleoclimatology, historical ecology, paleontology, botany, geology, conservation science, and resource management, this book unlocks the secret of how the Western Hemisphere's indigenous inhabitants influenced and transformed their natural environment. A rare combination of collaborators uncovers the changes that took place in North America, Mexico, Central America, the Andes, and Amazonia. Each section of the book has been comprehensively arranged so that a botanical description of the natural vegetation of the region is coupled with a set of case studies outlining local human influences. From modifications of vegetation, to changes in soil, wildlife, microclimate, hydrology, and the land surface itself, this collection addresses one of the great issues of our time: the human modification of the earth.
Imperfect Balance: Landscape Transformations in the Pre-Columbian Americas (Historical Ecology Series)
by Lentz David L. Ed.We often envision the New World before the arrival of the Europeans as a land of pristine natural beauty and undisturbed environments. However, David Lentz offers an alternative view by detailing the impact of native cultures on these ecosystems prior to their contact with Europeans. Drawing on a wide range of experts from the fields of paleoclimatology, historical ecology, paleontology, botany, geology, conservation science, and resource management, this book unlocks the secret of how the Western Hemisphere's indigenous inhabitants influenced and transformed their natural environment.A rare combination of collaborators uncovers the changes that took place in North America, Mexico, Central America, the Andes, and Amazonia. Each section of the book has been comprehensively arranged so that a botanical description of the natural vegetation of the region is coupled with a set of case studies outlining local human influences. From modifications of vegetation, to changes in soil, wildlife, microclimate, hydrology, and the land surface itself, this collection addresses one of the great issues of our time: the human modification of the earth.
An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America
by Henry WiencekWhen George Washington wrote his will, he made the startling decision to set his slaves free; earlier he had said that holding slaves was his "only unavoidable subject of regret."
Imperfect Justice: Looted Assets, Slave Labor, and the Unfinished Business of World War II
by Stuart Eizenstat Elie WieselImperfect Justice is Stuart Eizenstat's personal account of how the Holocaust became a political and diplomatic battleground fifty years after the war's end, as the issues of dormant bank accounts, slave labor, confiscated property, looted art, and unpaid insurance policies convulsed Europe and America. His story is not one of easy successes or an idyllic view of justice. Rather, it is a revealing chronicle of high-stakes negotiations involving heads of European governments, played out on an international stage in an emotionally charged atmosphere, with a subtext of crimes against humanity and billions of dollars on the table. <p><p>Eizenstat recounts the often heated negotiations with the Swiss, the Germans, the French, the Austrians, and various Jewish organizations, showing how moral and legal issues shunted aside for so long, exposed wounds that had never healed and conflicts that had never been properly resolved. Each country responded in its own way: Switzerland fought the disclosures about its past and deeply resented the outside pressure it faced; Germany accepted that it was once again called upon to account for its wartime sins, this time for those committed by private industry; Austria was torn, seeing itself as both victim and collaborator with Hitler; and France courageously accepted national responsibility for the Vichy regime. And on the other side of the table were a remarkable cast of characters: class-action lawyers, some of whom were altruistic while others were as interested in their own press clippings as in serving the needs of the survivors they represented; Jewish organizations that were at each other's throats over who best represented the victims in their quest for justice; politicians with their own agendas and ambitions, including New York's colorful Senator Alfonse D'Amato, who turned the issue into his own personal crusade; and the President of the United States, Bill Clinton.
The Imperfect Mirror: Inside Stories of Television Newswomen
by Daniel PaisnerReflecting the views of television's top newswomen, The Imperfect Mirror provides a tough look at what it takes to come a long way. Here are the inside stories of women who are overcoming the last obstacles in what has long been a male- dominated industry, along with their candid opinions about the men running their newsrooms, sexism on the job, and how much better than their male colleagues they have to be to get and stay ahead. Diane Sawyer, Lesley Stahl, Mary Alice Williams, Marlene Sanders, Jane Pauley. The women in this book continue to light the way for others to shine in the imperfect mirror of broadcast news. They come from all over the country, from our smallest local television markets to the big-three networks, and they offer frank insight on their first career steps, on the cosmetic aspects of their jobs, on Christine Craft's sex-discrimination suit against KMBC-TV, on the pregnancy of an unmarried Boston anchorwoman (and their own--very public--pregnancies), and on the constant push and pull of their personal and professional lives. They discuss the ways in which they bring the latest-breaking events to the airwaves, as well as what the future holds for all women in the workplace. In a series of six day-in-the-life profiles--ranging from anchorwoman Chere Avery of WBBH-TV in Fort Myers, Florida, our 101st largest television market, to Connie Chung of NBC News--The Imperfect Mirror also offers a broad-brush portrait of working television newswomen, and takes an inside look at the nitty-gritty business of covering the news on a daily basis. Television newswomen have indeed come a long way since the days of the adorned weathergirl and singing spokes- model. "But the fact is," writes author Daniel Paisner, "the doors of television newsrooms opened a lot faster than the minds of the men who worked inside.... There is still a clear difference between newsmen and newswomen, between anchormen and anchorwomen, between the jobs they are asked to do and the public's perception of what those jobs are and what goes into them. There is a difference in salary, there is a difference in opportunities, there is a difference in balance, there is a difference in influence, and there is a difference in expectations."
An Imperfect Occupation: Enduring the South African War
by John BojeThe South African War (1899-1902), also called the Boer War and Anglo-Boer War, began as a conventional conflict. It escalated into a savage irregular war fought between the two Boer republics and a British imperial force that adopted a scorched-earth policy and used concentration camps to break the will of Afrikaner patriots and Boer guerrillas. In An Imperfect Occupation , John Boje delves into the agonizing choices faced by Winburg district residents during the British occupation. Afrikaner men fought or evaded combat or collaborated; Afrikaner women fled over the veld or submitted to life in the camps; and black Africans weighed the life or death consequences of taking sides. Boje's sensitive analysis showcases the motives, actions, and reactions of Boers and Africans alike as initial British accommodation gave way to ruthlessness. Challenging notions of Boer unity and homogeneity, Boje illustrates the precarious tightrope of resistance, neutrality, and collaboration walked by people on all sides. He also reveals how the repercussions of the war's transformative effect on Afrikaner identity plays out in today's South Africa. Readable and compassionate, An Imperfect Occupation provides a dramatic account of the often overlooked aspects of one of the first "modern" wars.
Imperfect Pregnancies: A History of Birth Defects and Prenatal Diagnosis
by Ilana Löwy<p>In the 1960s, thanks to the development of prenatal diagnosis, medicine found a new object of study: the living fetus. At first, prenatal testing was proposed only to women at a high risk of giving birth to an impaired child. But in the following decades, such testing has become routine. <p>In Imperfect Pregnancies, Ilana Löwy argues that the generalization of prenatal diagnosis has radically changed the experience of pregnancy for tens of millions of women worldwide. Although most women are reassured that their future child is developing well, others face a stressful period of waiting for results, uncertain prognosis, and difficult decisions. Löwy follows the rise of biomedical technologies that made prenatal diagnosis possible and investigates the institutional, sociocultural, economic, legal, and political consequences of their widespread diffusion. <p>Because prenatal diagnosis is linked to the contentious issue of selective termination of pregnancy for a fetal anomaly, debates on this topic have largely centered on the rejection of human imperfection and the notion that we are now perched on a slippery slope that will lead to new eugenics. Imperfect Pregnancies tells a more complicated story, emphasizing that there is no single standardized way to scrutinize the fetus, but there are a great number of historically conditioned and situated approaches. This book will interest students, scholars, health professionals, administrators, and activists interested in issues surrounding new medical technologies, screening, risk management, pregnancy, disability, and the history and social politics of women’s bodies.</p>
Imperfect Pregnancies: A History of Birth Defects and Prenatal Diagnosis
by Ilana LöwyHow has prenatal testing, once offered only for high-risk pregnancies, become standard medical care for pregnant women today?In the 1960s, thanks to the development of prenatal diagnosis, medicine found a new object of study: the living fetus. At first, prenatal testing was proposed only to women at a high risk of giving birth to an impaired child. But in the following decades, such testing has become routine. In Imperfect Pregnancies, Ilana Löwy argues that the generalization of prenatal diagnosis has radically changed the experience of pregnancy for tens of millions of women worldwide. Although most women are reassured that their future child is developing well, others face a stressful period of waiting for results, uncertain prognosis, and difficult decisions. Löwy follows the rise of biomedical technologies that made prenatal diagnosis possible and investigates the institutional, sociocultural, economic, legal, and political consequences of their widespread diffusion. Because prenatal diagnosis is linked to the contentious issue of selective termination of pregnancy for a fetal anomaly, debates on this topic have largely centered on the rejection of human imperfection and the notion that we are now perched on a slippery slope that will lead to new eugenics. Imperfect Pregnancies tells a more complicated story, emphasizing that there is no single standardized way to scrutinize the fetus, but there are a great number of historically conditioned and situated approaches. This book will interest students, scholars, health professionals, administrators, and activists interested in issues surrounding new medical technologies, screening, risk management, pregnancy, disability, and the history and social politics of women’s bodies.
An Imperfect Proposal
by Hayley Ann SolomonWith two young nieces now in his charge, the Earl of Devonport is quite suddenly in need of a wife--and kind, gentle Amaryllis Hastings fits the bill nicely. His marriage will be nothing more than a convenience, after all--but his "retiring" bride surprises him at every turn, especially when he discovers that she has stolen his heart!Previously published in A Wife for Papa.