As the nation continues to grapple with the moral and legal complexities of pregnancy and abortion, I appreciated the opportunity to convene with a small, interdisciplinary group of scholars thinking through the meanings and messages of ‘personhood.’

Los Altos Hills offered a stunning backdrop for challenging questions stemming from courtrooms, hospitals, classrooms, and commonplace experience. As a sociologist, I brought insights from what I’ve learned via in-depth interviews with hundreds of Americans.

I’m especially grateful to the Packard Foundation and Mary Ziegler, the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis, for convening our group. Professor Ziegler’s forthcoming book, Personhood, adds to a long list of excellent books she’s written on the legal and political history of abortion in the U.S.

Bonus: I was able to sneak in an 8-mile hike at nearby Rancho San Antonio Preserve, pictured here!