Making Babies, Making Kin, and Citizens in Africa

October 2021 - Septmber 2026

Principal Investigators:

Professor Nolwazi Mkhwanazi and Professor Deevia Bhana

Funded by the Wellcome Trust, Reimagining Reproduction is an interdisciplinary research project that critically examines how reproduction—both biological and social—is understood, practiced, and shaped across Africa. The project is led by Professor Nolwazi Mkhwanazi (University of Pretoria) as the Principal Investigator, with Professor Deevia Bhana (University of KwaZulu-Natal) as the Co-Investigator. For more details, visit: https://reimagining-reproduction.africa/

Reimagining Reproduction investigates a key empirical question: How is the making of babies and their socialization—through care, kinning, and preparation for citizenship—(re)imagined in the context of rapidly shifting social, economic, and planetary conditions?

By framing reproduction through the lens of re-imagination, we critically assess dominant narratives that portray it as a biological given, associated with abundance, pathology, mortality, or irresponsibility. Instead, we foreground scarcity, acknowledging that the absence of children may result not only from biological infertility but also from social, environmental, and moral factors.

Central to our approach is the concept of longing—how the desire for children, or the choice to avoid reproduction, reflects broader transformations in society. This includes aspirations for new beginnings and forms of emancipation, whether from heteronormative structures, traditional notions of authority, or constraints on individual autonomy. Our research explores the intersectional dynamics of reproduction, considering how it is experienced across different ages, races, abilities, genders, and LGBTQI+ identities.

If you are interested in engaging with our work, reach out via our website: https://reimagining-reproduction.africa/