A still from Hulu's adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale

An Intermedia Workshop

Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), the eponymous Hulu series has sparked, from its release in April 2017 onwards, an impressive revival of Atwood’s dystopian novel. It has become a political reference for protest movements against the curtailing of women’s rights in an ever more conservative America, especially after Donald Trump’s election success. The crimson robes and the white bonnets of the handmaids were (re)discovered as powerful symbols all around the world, and the original text was worked on in various genres and media.

Our one-day workshop will focus on different media adaptations of The Handmaid's Tale. To this end, we have invited a number of specialists who will work with the participants on thematic and genre-specific issues:

• Dr. Dunja Mohr (University of Erfurt) – protest movements
• Dr. Cornelia Klecker (University of Innsbruck) – TV series
• Dr. Chris Reyns (University of Alberta) – graphic novel

Program:

• 09:00 Workshop opening
• 09:30-11:00 Short keynotes
• 11:00-11:30 Coffee break
• 11:30-12:30 Group work 1
• 12:30-14:00 Lunch break
• 14:00-15:30 Group work 2
• 15:30-15:45 Coffee break
• 15:45-17:00 Poster presentations

Teaching design and organization: Prof. Dorothee Birke (Department of English) and Dr. Doris G. Eibl (Canadian Studies Centre)