Richey is one of the first scholars to approach population policy from a textual perspective. Her command of cultural theory allows her to expand the discussion of population management, encompassing issues of gender, sexuality, social engineering and social change. The majority of literature on population and family planning is limited to public health perspective, Richey offers an holistic analysis that assesses the compromises and dialogue between interest groups, rather than the black and white success or failure assessment of the public health apparatus.This book uses political and socio-anthropological theory to examine the relationship between power, interest, and agency within population and family planning discourse across Africa, with particular emphasis on case studies from Tanzania.