Announcement comes four years after Jenkins publicly condemned her views
The Keough School of Global Affairs announced its recent appointment of abortion activist Susan Ostermann as the incoming director of its Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, beginning July 1. Ostermann, an associate professor of global affairs and political science, has written multiple national opinion articles advocating for increased abortion access, arguing that “[a]bortion saves women’s lives.”
Hired by Notre Dame in 2017 as one of the first professors for the new Keough School, Ostermann studies state capacity, coercion, and law, with a focus on South Asia. She teaches courses for both undergraduate and Law School students, according to course records available to students.
Keough Dean Mary Gallagher described Ostermann as an “outstanding choice” for the Liu Institute, saying, “Susan is an exceptional scholar and a deeply engaged teacher whose work reflects the Keough School’s commitment to rigorous, interdisciplinary research with real-world impact.”
Ostermann gained the attention of the Notre Dame community in 2022, when then-president Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C. wrote a rejection of Ostermann’s pro-abortion work in the Chicago Tribune. Ostermann’s article, titled “Lies about abortion have dictated our health policy,” was co-authored with former Notre Dame professor Tamara Kay, who left the university after unsuccessfully suing the Irish Rover for defamation after the student newspaper covered her offers of illegal abortion access to students.
In their article, Ostermann and Kay wrote, “Almost 90% of abortions occur during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy when there are no babies or fetuses. There are only blastocysts or embryos so tiny they are too small to be seen on an abdominal ultrasound.”
According to a 2021 peer-reviewed article published in Issues in Law & Medicine, 96 percent of biologists from academic institutions agree that a human life begins at the moment of conception.
In response to Ostermann’s article, Fr. Jenkins wrote that the “essay does not reflect the views and values of the University of Notre Dame in its tone, arguments or assertions.”
Ostermann has previously called forced pregnancy and childbirth instances of “violence against women,” “sexual abuse,” and “trauma.” She has linked bans on abortion to white supremacy, writing, “Abortion criminalization and gun rights in the U.S. have their roots in white supremacy and racism.”
Ostermann has also frequently condemned the “propaganda” of crisis pregnancy centers, saying they are “anti-abortion rights propaganda sites, to operate and provide false information to women who are lured to them believing they will receive legitimate medical care.” In another Chicago Tribune article, she wrote, “[T]he manner in which the information is delivered [at crisis pregnancy centers] is specifically designed to deceive pregnant people.”
Notre Dame’s official position on abortion can be found on the Office of the President’s website. In its “Institutional Statement Supporting the Choice for Life,” the university writes that it “recognizes and upholds the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.”
Despite the obvious incongruity between Ostermann’s views and the university’s on a grave matter of Catholic Social Teaching, no mention of Ostermann’s numerous pro-abortion writings was recognized by the university in the announcement of her appointment.
Michael Hockx, who serves as the current director of the Liu Institute, described his replacement as an “inspiring leader” in the news release.
In response to the Rover’s request for a comment on the matter, the university gave the following statement:
Professor Susan Ostermann is a highly regarded political scientist and legal scholar whose insightful research on regulatory compliance — from forestry conservation in India and Nepal to NSF-funded disaster mitigation in the U.S. territories — demonstrates the rigorous, interdisciplinary expertise required to lead the Liu Institute. A deeply committed educator who has led study abroad programs in Mumbai, she is well prepared to expand the Institute’s global partnerships and create impactful research opportunities that advance our dedication to serving as the preeminent global Catholic research institution. Those who serve in leadership positions at Notre Dame do so with the clear understanding that their decision-making as leaders must be guided by and consistent with the University’s Catholic mission. Notre Dame’s commitment to upholding the inherent dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life at every stage is unwavering.
When asked to comment, Ostermann declined and directed the Rover to the university’s office of communications.
Notre Dame has a history of inviting and supporting figures who are public proponents of abortion and the abortion industry, beginning in 2009 when they awarded former President Obama an honorary doctor of laws degree. Although the decision caused enormous controversy and received criticism from over 80 American bishops, the university never rescinded the award, allowing the staunch supporter of abortion rights to speak at commencement.
More recently, in a 2023 post-Dobbs lecture series titled, “Reproductive Justice: Scholarship for Solidarity and Social Change,” the university invited abortion activist Ash Williams to speak on a panel about “Trans Care + Abortion Care,” which was sponsored in part by the Gender Studies Program. Williams was described on the event’s page as a “Black trans abortion doula, public intellectual, and abolitionist community organizer.”
The Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies hosted Cambridge professor Clair Wills as part of its Fall 2024 speaker series. Wills has authored several pro-abortion articles, including one book review titled, “Quickening, or How to Plot an Abortion.”
The Liu Institute is one of 17 university institutes listed on the Provost’s website. The Dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs, Mary Gallagher, was responsible for Ostermann’s appointment, according to information provided by current Liu Director Michael Hockx.
Lucy Spence is a junior from McLean, Virginia majoring in piano performance and the Program of Liberal Studies, with a minor in philosophy. Reach her at lspence@nd.edu.
Photo Credit: Keough School of Global Affairs
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