Season
1
Episode
3

Anna Funder on erasure and the patriarchy

Anna shares her inspiration for the book, Wifedom, reflecting on her own experiences within a seemingly egalitarian marriage as she unravels the intricacies of patriarchy.

Pillars:
Equality & Democracy
Systems & Cities

We’re back with another amazing episode! Our guest this week is Anna Funder, an incredible Australian writer whose books Stasiland and All That I Am are prize winning international best sellers. Her most recent work, Wifedom, is an exploration of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's first wife who was almost successfully erased from history - until now. Anna shares her inspiration for the book, reflecting on her own experiences within a seemingly egalitarian marriage as she unravels the intricacies of patriarchy, a system deeply embedded in language and societal norms. We explore the complexities of gender dynamics, the invisible labor of women, and the need for accurate language to dismantle patriarchal structures so that we can foster a deeper understanding for envisioning new possibilities and emergent futures.

Ready to turn this wisdom into action?

Books mentioned:

Wifedom by Anna Funder

Stasiland by Anna Funder

All That I Am by Anna Funder

Stravinsky's Lunch by Drusilla Modjeska

The Complete Works of George Orwell by Peter Davidson

Animal Farm by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell

Check out our programs

Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari

Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy

Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader

And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.

Berry x