Theme Panel: Politicization of Women’s Bodies

August 27, 2025 APSA Annual Meeting, Theme Panels Comments Off on Theme Panel: Politicization of Women’s Bodies

In-Person Full Paper Panel

Participants:

  • (Chair) Ji Yeon (Jean) Hong, University of Michigan
  • (Discussant) Ji Yeon (Jean) Hong, University of Michigan
  • (Discussant) Soosun You, University of Pennsylvania

Session Description:
When and why are women’s bodies politicized, how are they used as instruments of power, and who benefits from these processes? This panel examines the political and economic consequences of state and societal actions involving women’s bodies—whether through victimization, commercialization, or idealization as symbols of motherhood. Drawing on contemporary and historical data and employing diverse methodological approaches, this panel explores how women’s bodies become sites of political contestation, reinforcing or challenging existing power structures, particularly through the lenses of security, welfare, and cultural norms. Together, these papers demonstrate the far-reaching political, social, and economic implications of the politicization of women’s bodies.