Examining the representations of social actors in FASD prevention campaigns

Through an exploration of public health campaigns targeting the prevention of FASD, I identified and challenged the concepts of mother blame and stigma found within the discursive practices of the medical system. Framed by feminist theory and critical discourse analysis (CDA), I used van Leeuwan’s approach to social actors to name and explore the representations of people depicted within the campaigns. The discussion focuses on how the current discourse on FASD informs the way that people are perceived and explores possible avenues to challenge and shift the way that substance use is discussed in relation to women and pregnancy.