Mother State: Helen Charman in Conversation with Kate Briggs

Mother State: Helen Charman in Conversation with Kate Briggs

From John Sandoe Books by John Sandoe Books

November 20, 2024 · 56 min · Episode 79

About this episode

Helen Charman discusses her book 'Mother State' and the political implications of motherhood with Kate Briggs.

'motherhood is frequently politicised, but rarely acknowledged in all its fullness to be political' We were delighted that Helen Charman, a Fellow at Clare College, Cambridge, whose writing has been published in The Guardian, The White Review, Another Gaze and The Stinging Fly, came to the shop to speak about her new book, Mother State. The impetus behind the book — a history of motherhood in the UK and Ireland — is that motherhood is an inherently political state of being, and should be considered in terms of collective responsibilities as well as individual. The communities that she is interested in — anti-nuclear campaigners, lesbian squatters, the wives of striking miners... — present a world in which mothering is a powerful, radical act. She was joined in conversation by Kate Briggs (The Long Form and This Little Art, both published by Fitzcarraldo). To hear about upcoming events in the shop and new episodes on our podcast, please click here. Edited by Magnus Rena

People in this episode

Guests: Helen Charman, Kate Briggs

Topics covered

  • motherhood
  • politics
  • history
  • community
  • activism

Keywords

  • Clare College
  • Cambridge
  • The Guardian
  • The White Review
  • Another Gaze
  • The Stinging Fly

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Mother State

Books & works: Mother State: Helen Charman in Conversation with Kate Briggs, Another Gaze, The Stinging Fly, Mother State, The Long Form, This Little Art

Places: Cambridge, UK, Ireland

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