INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON REPRODUCTIVE POLITICS AND RIGHTS AT INZ
On September 24–25, 2026, the Institute of Contemporary History hosted the international conference “Reproductive Politics in the Atlantic Space: Advances (and Reversals) from the Postwar Period to the Present”, bringing together researchers from various European countries and beyond.
The two-day conference focused on the historical development of reproductive politics and rights from the end of the Second World War to the present. Participants examined access to abortion, reproductive autonomy, the influence of political systems and legislation, and the role of feminist movements in shaping reproductive rights from comparative and transnational perspectives.
Across seven thematic panels, participants discussed various aspects of reproductive politics, ranging from legal frameworks and women’s lived experiences to political discourses, cross-border feminist activism, and the development and accessibility of reproductive technologies.
Particular attention was paid to comparisons between socialist and capitalist societies and the different trajectories of reproductive rights in Europe and Latin America. Presentations explored cases from Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Serbia, Italy, Romania, Argentina, Turkey, and Ireland, among others.
The conference brought together three research projects and institutions: REDFEM – Red Feminists: Communist Women Activists and Reproductive Rights Struggles in Post-1968 Italy and Slovenia (Horizon Europe) at INZ, Motherhood and Reproductive Politics in the 19th and 20th Centuries (ARIS, J6-4602) at the University of Ljubljana, and Historical Interpretations of the 20th Century (ARIS, P6-0347) at ZRC SAZU.
The conference was organised by Ana Cergol Paradiž (Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana), our colleague Victor Strazzeri (INZ), and Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc (ZRC SAZU).
The event provided an opportunity to exchange research findings and discuss historical changes, continuities, and contemporary challenges in the field of reproductive rights.
We are sharing a few photo highlights from the event!
