Childlessness in the Age of Communication: Deconstructing Silence

Cristina Archetti (Professor in Political Communication and Journalism, University of Oslo) will present her new book Childlessness in the Age of Communication: Deconstructing Silence. Although involuntary childlessness (i.e. not having children not by choice) affects an increasing number of women and men across the world, this topic is shrouded in taboo and shame. Cristina will deal with the invisible mechanisms that, from the gestures and throw-away comments of everyday life to policy, make up the structure of silence around childlessness. Moving away from a public discourse that reduces involuntary childlessness to a “medical” issue, she will address the existential, social and political repercussions of infertility, as well as the challenge of explaining what it means and how it feels not to have children in a society that is organized around family.

Join her in conversation with a range of guests: researchers, health practitioners, a film director and a podcaster, infertility survivors and activists.

 

Programme:

12.15-12.30 Registration (for those who attend in presence)

 Giving a voice to silenced stories

12.30-13.10 Cristina Archetti (Professor in Political Communication and Journalism, University of Oslo, and co-founder of “Andre Veier: Foreningen for permanent barnløse”) will present her new book, sharing both her research findings and the challenges of writing about taboo.

13.10-13.50 Hilde Merete Haug (sociologist, film director and producer) will present an excerpt from her documentary on involuntary childlessness Mammaen i meg (The mum in me) and discuss the dilemmas involved in the process of capturing sensitive and personal stories on camera.

13.50-14.00 Break

The roots of silence

14.00-14.30 Hildegun Sarita Selle (psychologist at the Polyclinic for Psychosomatics and Trauma, Sørlandet hospital, and co-founder of “Stiftelsen Flexid”) and Anders Möller (Professor Emeritus, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Stockholm) will discuss the psychological and existential dimensions of not having children.

14.30-15.00 Robin Hadley (independent researcher on male childlessness and ageing, and founding member of British organization “Ageing Without Children”) and Kristian Ophaug (family therapist) will address the lack of scripts and vocabularies in men’s experiences of infertility.

Speaking out: Activism and the future

15.00-15.30: Linda Malm (psycosynthesis therapist and founder of Swedish organization “Andra sidan tröskeln: Föreningen för permanent ofrivilligt barnlösa”) and Cecilie Hoxmark (producer of the podcast “Barnløs på godt og vondt” and co-founder of “Andre Veier: Foreningen for permanent barnløse”) will discuss the challenges of “being heard” and what it takes to break the silence around infertility.

Attendance is FREE but places are limited. Please register here.

The debate will be conducted mostly in English

The event is sponsored by the Institute for Media and Communication/Institutt for medier og kommunikasjon (IMK), University of Oslo

 

Go to Live Stream: https://youtu.be/aPvnde_oL7Y