Defenders of the Unborn

Masterful...[A] meticulous reconstruction of a historical moment that we think we know but don't. --Christianity Today There's a lot here that will surprise even those who stay current with the battle over reproductive rights. --Publishers Weekly Daniel Williams recasts the history of the pro-life movement, showing that it is not simply a backlash against women's rights, the sexual revolution, or Roe v. Wade. He challenges popular opinion and scholarship on the anti-abortion movement in truly original ways that should recast our thinking about the politics of abortion, social issues, and social movements in modern America. --Donald T. Critchlow, author of Intended Consequences: Abortion, Family Planning, and Federal Policy Daniel Williams' splendid book Defenders of the Unborn explodes many common myths about the history of the pro-life movement and provides the first detailed and accurate history of the cause. Anyone who wonders how the movement emerged, why it has persisted, and whether it is likely to continue to grow in numbers and influence needs to read this book. -Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University Daniel Williams' compelling book upends conventional ideas about the origins and ambitions of the pro-life movement. Using an impressive variety of sources, Defenders of the Unborn establishes that the identification of pro-life activism and conservatism was not inevitable, and illuminates how successful and savvy pro-lifers were in the decades before Roe v. Wade. Williams' important and original contribution to the history of abortion politics offers reason to rethink today's debate. -Mary Ziegler, Stearns Weaver Miller Professor of Law, Florida State University College of Law