Parallels between “the handmaids tale” and International Law: Gilead’s international responsibility?

Abstract

This paper has as its main objective the comparison between International Law institutes and situations presented in the fictional narrative of “The Handmaid’s Tale”. In a dystopic future where the United States is overthrown by a religious sect that installs a totalitarian regime based on the ancient texts of the Bible, many illegal practices occur in this scenario. First, we propose to verify the condition of Gilead as a State, in the perspective of International Law. Then, it will analyze the human rights violations noticed in the story. Finally, it aims to verify the possibility of international 1 Advogada, Especialista em Direito da União Europeia (King’s College London) Especialista em Direito Internacional (PUC-SP) e Especialista em Direito Tributário Internacional (IBDT). Graduada em Direito pela Faculdade de Direito de Vitória (FDV). Email: karinturra@hotmail.com. PARALELOS ENTRE “O CONTO DA AIA” E O DIREITO INTERNACIONAL: RESPONSABILIZAÇÃO INTERNACIONAL DE GILEAD? Karin Kelbert Turra karinturra@hotmail.com Revista Eletrônica de Direito Internacional da PUC/SP - DOI: 2526-6284/2020.v7n7.55001 http://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/DIGE - ISSN: 2526-6284 - v.7, n.7 / 2020 – pag. 14-37 15 response of the State, in the due case. For the purpose of the discussion, our arguments will be based on International Law doctrines and legislations.