Inequality and Infertility in Iran: Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Masculinities

• In Event: How Should STS Address Inequality? As a Subject, a (Dis)Value)? Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives - I

Abstract

This research investigates how involuntarily childless couples, men in particular, can access and do actually use assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), in the socio-cultural, legal, religious and medical context of contemporary Iran. Iran is the only Muslim country in which ARTs, including the use of donor gametes and embryos, have been legislated by religious authorities and regulated by the state. Since 2016 the state partly subsidizes use of ARTs. Nevertheless, ARTs are not equally accessible and affordable for all. In Iran, infertility, a highly stigmatized condition, is generally considered a ‘woman’s problem’; male infertility and its consequences are hardly recognized or discussed, in families, society or in social science. Currently, no insight exists into male involvement in the search for a solution for infertility and how this relates to dominant notions of masculinity. This ethnographic study intends to enhance understanding of male infertility and the use of ARTs in Iran, building on three core theoretical notions – (Islamic) biopolitics, ‘stratified reproduction’ and ‘emerging masculinities’ – and takes an intersectional perspective considering gender, class and religion. It will be conducted in two cities, Tehran and Yazd. Study methods include: participant observation in hospitals and in the mundane lives of couples experiencing involuntarily childlessness; reproductive life history interviews with couples facing fertility problems; and in-depth interviews with relevant other actors such as religious authorities and policymakers within the field of ARTs. This research intends to provide relevant insights for informing reproduction policies in Iran and other countries with similar conditions, particularly in the region.

Author

• Tara Asgarilaleh, University of Amsterdam