The Tension Between Evolutionary Biology & Modern Motherhood with "We Are Animals" Author Jennifer Case

Private Parts Unknown: Sex & Love Around the World

For the 182nd episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes Jennifer Case, author of We Are Animals: On the Nature and Politics of Motherhood.

Jennifer explains how human maternal behavior makes more sense when viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology and how these biological instincts often clash with modern societal expectations of motherhood, creating tensions that manifest in issues like maternal mental health, isolation, and lack of support. We discuss Jennifer's personal experiences with pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood, including the challenges she faced with her second unintended pregnancy and her husband's opposition to abortion. She also opens up about her challenges in balancing academic and career ambitions with the demands of motherhood, how she navigates the complexities of sharing childcare responsibilities equitably with her husband, and how she reconciles her feminist ideals with the realities of motherhood.

For more from today's guest, Jennifer Case:

• Buy Jennifer's book We Are Animals: On the Nature and Politics of Motherhood
• Follow Jennifer on Instagram @jennie.case
• Check out Jennifer's website jenniferlcase.com

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