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Risk, morality and emotion: social media responses to pregnant women who smoke

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 12:38 authored by Nicholas HookwayNicholas Hookway, Shandell ElmerShandell Elmer, Mai FrandsenMai Frandsen
In this article, we use qualitative data to examine the shape and nature of the online ‘moral outrage’ that was directed at a research trial that used financial incentives to encourage pregnant mothers to quit smoking. Mai Frandsen developed the research trial in Tasmania, a small island state in Australia characterised by high rates of smoking in pregnancy. In this article, we draw on data from 121 online text comments posted in relation to three Australia-wide media stories relating to the research trial in 2015. Two of the online stories came from popular Australian independent ‘mummy’ website ‘Mamamia’. We found that the intense negative moral judgement directed at the programme and the women it benefited was driven by an individualised risk discourse drawing on ideologies of the ‘good’ and ‘intensive’ mother. We argue in this article that the over-emphasis on risk in relation to pregnancy produces a conservative morality that demonise women, fails to account for the social determinants of health and diminishes care for the Other. We argue that the research programme with its incentive component was a useful alternative to more punitive risk approaches as it promoted reward rather than blame and shame and acknowledged the importance of including emotions and morality in analysing the relationship between risk, health and society.

Funding

Cancer Council of Tasmania

History

Publication title

Health, Risk and Society

Volume

19

Issue

5-6

Pagination

246-259

ISSN

1369-8575

Department/School

School of Social Sciences

Publisher

Carfax Publishing

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Women's and maternal health

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    University Of Tasmania

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