Daniella Gonzalez, 2018 Global Research Scholar

 How did you learn about the opportunity through the Halle Institute for Global Research and what about it made you apply?

The supportive community and the opportunity to engage with students in different fields of studies drew me to apply. The Halle Institute for Global Research has surpassed my expectations on care for my research and overall development as an academic for my career.

What is unique and significant about your research/project and its contribution to your field?

Prior research focuses on the impacts of family planning for maternal behaviors and economic development. However, there is little consideration for the meaning of family planning for the female patients seeking gestational care and their healthcare providers. I believe it is important to understand the unique experiences individuals have with reproductive health. The concept of family planning has been heavily medicalized, and the humanistic value of the practice is often overlooked.

How did the support from the Halle Institute for Global Research facilitate your research/project? 
The support provided by the Halle Institute for Global Research has encouraged me to be confident in my abilities to both conduct research and write about my work. My research questions have been respected and appreciated. It can be difficult to find such a tight-knit community that motivates me to research further. I am incredibly grateful for this community when writing my thesis and continuing to think about the impact of my project.

Why was it important that your research be conducted in the location you chose?

Brazil has a public health care system known as SUS, and through this program both men and women are given access to contraception and educational materials on family planning. Bom Retiro is a neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil’s capital, and has a rich blend of nationalities and races. This diversity in patients allows my research to investigate questions of race and immigration in the UBS primary health care clinic. Thus, Brazil, specifically Bom Retiro, allows me to analyze the religious, racial, national, and other facets to identity that affect one’s own conceptualization of family planning.