The Cell

Queen Mary History of Emotions

In this episode, Hetta Howes and Charlie Williams look at experiences of imprisonment and solitary confinement, asking how we can understand the effects of enforced isolation on the human psyche? They speak first to Lisa Guenther, who charts the rise and rise of solitary confinement in the United States and the links between this practice and the long history of slavery. Next, they hear from Andrea Brady about the ‘Jail Poems’ of Beat Poet Bob Kaufman and the perspective they provide on imprisonment as an existential condition. And finally, Hetta speaks to Shokoufeh Sakhi about her years as a political prisoner in Iran, the work of preserving connections with the world in the face of solitary confinement, and the power of creating beauty within the prison. Contributors: Charlie Williams, (Queen Mary University of London) Lisa Guenther (Queens University, Canada), Shokoufeh Sakhi (independent scholar), Andrea Brady (Queen Mary University of London) Presented by Hetta Howes Curated by Charlie Williams Produced by Natalie Steed Readings by Miles Richardson and Burt Caesar