Illuminates Gen-Z attitudes towards abortion politics

For the first time in decades, young adults are coming to reproductive age without the federal constitutional right to an abortion. They are developing their personal politics in an era of state-wide abortion bans, haunted by high-profile stories of ghostly fetuses or women refused life-saving care. Whether they identify as pro-life, pro-choice, or ambivalent, they are united by a profound concern for their own futures and that of their communities.

In The Post-Dobbs Generation, author Sophie Bjork draws on 200 in-depth interviews with college students to unpack their complex views about abortion. The result is a remarkably broad view of Gen Z perspectives on this issue, spanning across racial, religious, and sexual identities. Bjork demonstrates that these young adults’ stances are shaped both by personal experiences and the communities to which they belong. For many interviewees, climate change is central to their reproductive politics, reflecting their uncertain view of our planet’s future. Their statements reveal the contested role of reproduction in our era of climate crisis.

By sharing young adults’ views on abortion politics in their own words, The Post-Dobbs Generation provides an unprecedented look at one of the most polarizing debates in our nation today.