Fadern är alltid säker : Föräldraskapsdiskurser i familjerättslig ärendehantering av transnationella surrogatarrangemang

• Main Author: Forsheden Sidoli, Elinor
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Södertörns högskola, Genusvetenskap 2019
• Subjects: discourse; surrogacy; parenthood; kinship; social workers; repropreneur; diskurs; surrogatmoderskap; föräldraskap; släktskap; familjerättssekreterare; reproprenörskap; Gender Studies; Genusstudier; Sociology; Sociologi
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-38428

The aim of this thesis is to examine how discourses on parenthood are articulated and negotiated by social workers in Sweden, in relation to handling legal parenthood after transnational surrogacy. The study is based on interviews with eight different social workers from different parts of Sweden. To interpret the material from the interviews, I use discourse theoretical framework – combined with an understanding of the social workers as street-level bureaucrats. Other particular theoretical perspectives that have been important in my research include theories on kinship, concepts of bodily and genetic citizenship and neo-liberal discourse. My study shows that different perceptions of certain key concepts (such as social-, bodily- or genetic family ties) underpin the discourses of parenthood, depending on context. In my research I have found that the process of deciding who is the legal parent of a child born through surrogacy, challenge the presumption of motherhood, and instead the genetic and intended father remains the certain parent of the child.