The Politics of the Pill

In The Politics of the Pill, Rachel VanSickle-Ward and Kevin Wallsten tell the story of contemporary birth control policy and the role that women played in it. First, they chart the twists and turns of a fascinating, controversial and consequential policy debate. Second, they use their analysis of contraception politics as a vehicle for identifying more generally the position of women in the public sphere and the influence that gender exerts across policy-making and media venues.