The Story of Woman

S3 E7. Navigating Motherhood in the Age of Surveillance with Sophie Hamacher and Jessica Hankey, creators of Supervision

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Episode notes

How does the rise of AI and surveillance intersect with motherhood? In this episode, Sophie Hamacher and Jessica Hankey, creators of the groundbreaking anthology, Supervision: On Motherhood and Surveillance, delve into the ways mothers' behaviors and bodies are observed, exposed, and policed in today's society.

The conversation broadens to encompass the unique experiences of BIPOC mothers, who find themselves in a paradoxical state of both hyper-visibility and invisibility. Sophie and Jessica underscore the importance of community motherhood, sharing examples that challenge societal norms and resist government neglect in areas such as reproductive healthcare and childcare.

Through it all, Sophie and Jessica underscore the urgency of studying surveillance in our daily lives and its implications for equality and justice.

Some topics we cover include:

Benevolent vs. oppressive surveillance
The impact of state surveillance on reproductive rights, particularly in the context of abortion restrictions and the overturning of Roe v. Wade
How advertisers exploit fears and insecurities to sell products
Historical instances of the state using claims of benevolence to justify harmful surveillance policies
Experiences of BIPOC mothers being hyper-visible yet invisible
Importance of community motherhood and redefining traditional models
Hope found in collaborative efforts, dialogues, and alternative models of living

Transcription is available here

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