Between duty and choice: Exploring discourses of sexuality and reproduction among different generations of Christian women in Zimbabwe

The proposed project develops research among different generations of Christian women in Zimbabwe who belong to four Christian denominations (Catholics, Pentecostals, Protestants and African Initiated Churches (AICs). The location of the research is Masvingo, a province in the Southeastern part of Zimbabwe. This will be a feminist qualitative empirical study that will employ employed semi structured interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation as methods of data gathering. Ten women from each denomination of different ages will be make up the population of the participants for semi-structured interviews. For focus group discussions eight to twelve women from each Christian denomination will be gathered. The proposed research study aims to explore discourses of sexuality and reproduction and discuss the strategies that women use to reconcile different messages on sexuality and reproduction. In this way, more knowledge will be gained on ways in which unhealthy and dangerous practices are legitimized, stimulated, or accepted, but also on ways in which women of different generations resist current unhealthy sexual and reproductive health practices and find ways to construct theological ideas that stimulate healthy practices. Thematic content analysis will be the method of analysis that will be employed.