What I Explore
My research brings cultural anthropology to bear on medicine, science, and technology. My work showcases the relevance of feminist approaches in anthropology to political activities of global consequence, with particular contributions to understanding reproductive politics. I research across the reproductive health spectrum, including abortion, assisted reproduction, infertility, menstruation, and pregnancy, and approach reproductive politics as dynamic sites for understanding how relations of power are sustained and transformed.
PUBLICATIONS
BOOK
Cromer, Risa. 2023. Conceiving Christian America: Embryo Adoption and Reproductive Politics. Anthropologies of American Medicine series. NYU Press.
SELECTED ARTICLES
Rodriguez, Natalia, Risa Cromer, Rebecca Martinez, Yumary Ruiz. 2022. “Impact of COVID-19 on People Experiencing Homelessness: A Call for Critical Accountability.” American Journal of Public Health. 112(6): 828-831. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2022. “Saving: Towards a Feminist Reckoning.” Feminist Anthropology “Keywords” Special Issue. 3(2): 345-352. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2020. “‘Our Family Picture is a Little Hint of Heaven’: Race, Religion, and Selective Reproduction in US ‘Embryo Adoption.’” Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online. 11: 9-17. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa, Jessica Hardin, Zoe Nyssa. 2020. “Reckoning with Saving.” Journal for the
Anthropology of North America. 23(1): 67-69. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Making the Ethnic Embryo: Enacting Race in US Embryo Adoption.”
Medical Anthropology. 38(7): 603-619. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Racial Politics of Frozen Embryo Personhood in the US Antiabortion
Movement.” Transforming Anthropology. 27(1): 22-36. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Jane Doe.” Cultural Anthropology. 34(1): 18-25. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2018. “Saving Embryos in Stem Cell Science and Christian Adoption.” New
Genetics and Society. 37(4): 362-386. Read HERE.
BOOK CHAPTER
Cromer, Risa. 2017. “Waiting: The Redemption of Frozen Embryos through Embryo Adoption and Stem Cell Research in the United States.” Anthropology of the Fetus: Biology, Culture, and Society. 171-199. Edited by Sallie Han, Tracy Betsinger, and Amy Scott. Berghahn Press. Read HERE.
ONLINE ESSAYS
Andaya, Elise, Risa Cromer, Heather Paxson, and Carolyn Sufrin. 2022. “Introduction: After Roe.” Society for Cultural Anthropology Hot Spots, Fieldsights. October 3. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/after-roe-introduction
Cromer, Risa. 2022. “The ART of Antiabortion Activism.” Society for Cultural Anthropology Hot Spots, Fieldsights. October 3. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/the-art-of-antiabortion-activism
Cromer, Risa, and Sophie Bjork-James. 2020. “Which Lives Matter? ‘Pro-Life’ Politics during a Pandemic. Medical Anthropology Quarterly Critical Care online blog. September 29. https://medanthroquarterly.org/critical-care/2020/09/which-lives-matter-pro-life-politics-during-a-pandemic/
Barnreuther, Sandra and Risa Cromer. 2019. “Transforming Life: Mutable Materials in Reproductive Biobanks.” ReproSoc: The Blog online blog. June 4. http://www.reprosoc.com/blog/2019/6/4/transforming-life-mutable-materials-in-reproductive-biobanks
Cromer, Risa, and Lucy van de Wiel. 2018. “Remaking Reproduction Conference: A Review.” Somatosphere online blog. August 6. http://somatosphere.net/2018/08/remaking-reproduction-conference-a-review.html
BOOK & FILM REVIEWS
Cromer, Risa. 2020. Book Review: “Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an
Abortion in America.” Medical Anthropology Quarterly. 34(4): e112-e114. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2011. Book Review: “Jungle Laboratories: Mexican Peasants, National Projects,
and the Making of the Pill.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology. 16(2): 477-
479. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2009. Book Review: “Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic
World.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology. 14(1): 218-220. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2008. Film Review: “Rosita.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean
Anthropology. 13(1): 270-272. Read HERE.
POLICY STATEMENT
Andaya, Elise, Lauren Fordyce, Joanna Mishtal, Bonnie Ruder, Risa Cromer. 2014. “The
Council on Anthropology and Reproduction Oppose the TRAP Laws Limiting Access to
Abortion.” Second Opinion. 2(1): 7. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2023. Conceiving Christian America: Embryo Adoption and Reproductive Politics. Anthropologies of American Medicine series. NYU Press.
SELECTED ARTICLES
Rodriguez, Natalia, Risa Cromer, Rebecca Martinez, Yumary Ruiz. 2022. “Impact of COVID-19 on People Experiencing Homelessness: A Call for Critical Accountability.” American Journal of Public Health. 112(6): 828-831. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2022. “Saving: Towards a Feminist Reckoning.” Feminist Anthropology “Keywords” Special Issue. 3(2): 345-352. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2020. “‘Our Family Picture is a Little Hint of Heaven’: Race, Religion, and Selective Reproduction in US ‘Embryo Adoption.’” Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online. 11: 9-17. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa, Jessica Hardin, Zoe Nyssa. 2020. “Reckoning with Saving.” Journal for the
Anthropology of North America. 23(1): 67-69. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Making the Ethnic Embryo: Enacting Race in US Embryo Adoption.”
Medical Anthropology. 38(7): 603-619. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Racial Politics of Frozen Embryo Personhood in the US Antiabortion
Movement.” Transforming Anthropology. 27(1): 22-36. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2019. “Jane Doe.” Cultural Anthropology. 34(1): 18-25. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2018. “Saving Embryos in Stem Cell Science and Christian Adoption.” New
Genetics and Society. 37(4): 362-386. Read HERE.
BOOK CHAPTER
Cromer, Risa. 2017. “Waiting: The Redemption of Frozen Embryos through Embryo Adoption and Stem Cell Research in the United States.” Anthropology of the Fetus: Biology, Culture, and Society. 171-199. Edited by Sallie Han, Tracy Betsinger, and Amy Scott. Berghahn Press. Read HERE.
ONLINE ESSAYS
Andaya, Elise, Risa Cromer, Heather Paxson, and Carolyn Sufrin. 2022. “Introduction: After Roe.” Society for Cultural Anthropology Hot Spots, Fieldsights. October 3. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/after-roe-introduction
Cromer, Risa. 2022. “The ART of Antiabortion Activism.” Society for Cultural Anthropology Hot Spots, Fieldsights. October 3. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/the-art-of-antiabortion-activism
Cromer, Risa, and Sophie Bjork-James. 2020. “Which Lives Matter? ‘Pro-Life’ Politics during a Pandemic. Medical Anthropology Quarterly Critical Care online blog. September 29. https://medanthroquarterly.org/critical-care/2020/09/which-lives-matter-pro-life-politics-during-a-pandemic/
Barnreuther, Sandra and Risa Cromer. 2019. “Transforming Life: Mutable Materials in Reproductive Biobanks.” ReproSoc: The Blog online blog. June 4. http://www.reprosoc.com/blog/2019/6/4/transforming-life-mutable-materials-in-reproductive-biobanks
Cromer, Risa, and Lucy van de Wiel. 2018. “Remaking Reproduction Conference: A Review.” Somatosphere online blog. August 6. http://somatosphere.net/2018/08/remaking-reproduction-conference-a-review.html
BOOK & FILM REVIEWS
Cromer, Risa. 2020. Book Review: “Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an
Abortion in America.” Medical Anthropology Quarterly. 34(4): e112-e114. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2011. Book Review: “Jungle Laboratories: Mexican Peasants, National Projects,
and the Making of the Pill.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology. 16(2): 477-
479. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2009. Book Review: “Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic
World.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology. 14(1): 218-220. Read HERE.
Cromer, Risa. 2008. Film Review: “Rosita.” Journal of Latin American and Caribbean
Anthropology. 13(1): 270-272. Read HERE.
POLICY STATEMENT
Andaya, Elise, Lauren Fordyce, Joanna Mishtal, Bonnie Ruder, Risa Cromer. 2014. “The
Council on Anthropology and Reproduction Oppose the TRAP Laws Limiting Access to
Abortion.” Second Opinion. 2(1): 7. Read HERE.
