Episode 29: The Handmaid's Tale Franchise with Dr. Rebecca Gibson

Mar 25, 2023

On this Month's Episode, Dr. Rebecca Gibson returns to talk about Margaret Atwood's speculatively "fictional" dystopia: "The Handmaid Tale" Franchise. We talk how the adaptation(s) is a reflection of historical events, cogent to current events, and a possible oracle for the future. Get ready for a discussion of Commodification, Rape Culture, and the interlocking systems of oppression.   "Blessed Be."

Intro: 0:00-2:00

Update on Dr. Gibson's work: 2:11-8:20

• Upcoming books
• Preview of Dr. Gibson's next episode 

Basics of The Handmaid's Tale Franchise 8:21-50:10

• The Franchise's Components and Structure 
• The Anthropological Bookends 
• Product of it's time?
• The Adaptation 
• Timeline of the Franchise 
• Trivia 

Historical Context 50:24-85:40

• Personal Discovery of the original Text 
• Historical Influences on Atwood's work 
• No Shame in Current Politics 
• Atwood's ending too Hopeful?
• Marketplace Activism 
• "The Gibson Standard"
• Historical Impact of the Books and the Series 
• The importance of Choice 

Social Analysis 85:55-137:30

• A Social Justice Nighmare 
• "Better, doesn't mean better for everyone."
• Men harmed by the Patriarchy 
• Commodification of Atwood's work 
• Can you Fully Deconstruct a System?
• Canceling Academics in our Fields 
• The Partiarchical Bargain in Gilead 
• Masculinization, Militarization and Knowledge Suppression
• Systemization of Emotion 
• 'The System's' defense mechanisms 

Outtro: 137:31-142:22

• Predictions about the Upcoming Testaments Adaptation 
• Plugs: RGibsongirl on Twitter and Dr. Gibson's  Amazon Author's Page 
• Coming up on The Blog 

Links

All Clips Provided under Faire Use 

Michael Kimmel Alegations 

Comeroff Saga