The Ascent of Woman

The Ascent of Woman (2015)

EndedDocumentary showHistory

Dr Amanda Foreman uncovers stories of women that have made and changed human history from 10,000 BC to the present day.

Network
Scheduleevery Wednesday at 21:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Revolution
Season 1Episode 460 min

Revolution

In this final film, Dr Amanda Foreman looks at the role of women in revolutions that have transformed the modern world, from political uprisings to reproductive rights. Amanda discovers, through women like campaigner and writer Olympe De Gouges, that the French Revolution's promise of equality, liberty and brotherhood would be limited to men. Bolshevik radical Alexandra Kollontai would find that while her fellow Russian revolutionaries may have put women's rights at the forefront of ideological change, the post-revolutionary world would be as rife with gender bias as the societies they'd helped transform.

In the end, revolutionary change for women would come from within the private sphere - in America, with activists like Margaret Sanger, who coined the term birth control and developed the pill which would finally give women control over when to have children. Amanda discusses the experiences of women in contemporary uprisings - in what's been called the Arab spring, when women defied cultural and political traditions, marched into public squares and called for change, only to find that once they demanded rights for women, they were denied them. Amanda discusses the growth of grass roots women's movements in Africa, like those in Liberia and Malawi, and interviews African women involved in democratic politics - Lindiwe Mazibuko, the South African leader of the opposition and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women. Amanda finishes the series with a bold statement - she believes the most critical issue of the 21st century is to address the inclusion of women, to break from the past and create a new model for social revolution - one of gender equality.

Sep 23, 2015

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E04RevolutionSep 23, 2015
S01E03PowerSep 16, 2015
S01E02SeparationSep 9, 2015
S01E01CivilisationSep 2, 2015
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

View all cast

Characters

View all characters

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Miss Austen
Upcoming

Miss Austen

Miss Austen takes a literary mystery – Cassandra Austen notoriously burning her famous sister Jane's letters – and reimagines it as a fascinating, witty and heart-breaking story of sisterly love, while creating in Cassandra a character as captivating as any Austen heroine.

The drama begins in 1830, a while after Jane has died. Cassandra races to see her young friend Isabella who is about to lose her home following her father's death. Cassandra is ostensibly there to help her friend, but her real motive is to find a stash of private letters which, in the wrong hands, could destroy Jane's reputation. On discovering them, Cassandra is overwhelmed as she is transported back to her youth. In flashback, we meet Young Cassy and Jane as they navigate the infatuations, family feuds and dashed hopes which shaped their lives and laid the foundations for Jane's unforgettable stories. Cassandra's re-evaluation of her past eventually leads her to realise how blind she has been to the real cause of Isabella's heartache and distress. Finding a way to guide Isabella towards true happiness, Cassandra is finally able to understand and celebrate the sacrifices she chose to make for her brilliant sister, Jane.

Good Cop/Bad Cop
Upcoming

Good Cop/Bad Cop

Good Cop/Bad Cop is a one-hour procedural dramedy centered around Lou and Henry, an odd couple sister and brother detective team in a small Pacific Northwest police force. They must contend with colorful residents, a serious lack of resources, and their very complicated dynamic with each other and with their police chief, Big Hank - who happens to be their father.

After Midnight
Running

After Midnight

After Midnight, inspired by Comedy Central's Emmy Award-winning series "@midnight," is the smartest show on television about the dumbest things on the internet. With celebrated comedian Taylor Tomlinson at the helm and a panel of guests from the worlds of entertainment, comedy, music and beyond, After Midnight is a late-night comedy series about what set the internet abuzz that day with a game show feel. Upcoming guests will be announced at a later date.

Abbott Elementary
Running

Abbott Elementary

In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don't love the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.

GenreComedy
The Studio
Upcoming

The Studio

As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their own insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting, and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes movies, it's the job Matt's been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.

GenreComedy