Childbirth in the Global Village

<p>Is the experience of childbirth becoming 'globalised'?<br>Is the encroachment of the western medical model dehumanising a profoundly human experience?<br>If so, what can midwives and midwife educators do about it?<br><br>These are the questions at the heart of <em>Childbirth in the Global Village </em>which highlights the role that globalisation plays in changing childbirth practices and its implications for midwifery practice and education.<br>Built around the vivid personal stories of women and midwives experiencing childbirth in four very different cultures <br><br><em>Childbirth in the Global Village </em>will resonate with the experience of midwives everywhere and makes a strong case for redesigning the midwifery curriculum to reflect the interconnectedness of childbirth, midwifery education and practice around the globe.</p> 1. Autobiographical Beginnings 2. Conceptual Framework 3. The Defining Characteristics of Globalisation 4. The Nature of Modernity: Society, Development and Risk 5. Childbirth in Africa: Characterising African Rural and Urban Society 6. Childbirth in Malaysia 7. American Women in Childbirth 8. Women in Childbirth in England 9. Symbolic Exchanges in Childbirth: Reflections from the Case Studies 10. Symbolic Exchanges in Childbirth : The Influence of Science and Medicine 11. Cultural Implications for Midwifery Education and Practice 12. The Midwifery Curriculum 13. Conclusions and Recommendations