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Motherhood

From lesbian squatters to anti nuke campaigners and teen mums protesting housing cuts - stories of mothers on the front line of politics. Also, the criminalisation of US mums.

Laurie Taylor talks to Helen Charman, Fellow and Assistant College Lecturer in English at Clare College, University of Cambridge, about her study of mothers fighting for alternative futures for themselves and their children. Is motherhood an inherently political state, one that poses challenges to various status quos? Also, Caitlin Killian - Professor of Sociology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey argues that US mums are held to ever higher standards and now subject to an expanding list of offences - from falling down the stairs while pregnant to letting a child spend time alone in a park - which were not seen as criminal behaviours a generation ago. Are mothers likelier to be held accountable than fathers?

Producer: Jayne Egerton

Available now

29 minutes

On radio

Sunday 06:05

Featured

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Guests and further reading

-听,听 Fellow and Assistant Lecturer in English at Clare College, University of Cambridge

Mother State: A Political History of Motherhood (Allen Lane)

- - Professor of Sociology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey听听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听

Failing Moms : Social Condemnation and Criminalisation of Mothers (Polity Books)

Broadcasts

  • Tuesday 15:30
  • Sunday 06:05

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