Reception, Ownership, and Race: Netflix’s ”Queen Cleopatra”

Afterlives of Ancient Egypt with Kara Cooney

EPISODE 57 | In this episode, special guests Dr. Katherine Blouin and Dr. Heba Abd el Gawad join Kara and Jordan for a conversation about Netflix’s docu-drama Queen Cleopatra and the ways in which modern issues of reception, ownership, and race have played into how Cleopatra is seen today. Dr. Abd el Gawad brings her nuanced perspective as a scholar and an Egyptian to the discussion, and Dr. Blouin helps us get into the deep-cuts of how the threads of imperialism, Orientalism, and patriarchy have been used to weave narratives about Cleopatra that continue to influence how she is viewed as an historical figure.

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