Gender and Feminist Theory research group

Hosted by the Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS), our research group encompasses members from across the College of Social Sciences, whose research interests lie in a range of areas which fall under the headings gender studies and/or feminist theoretical analysis/readings of politics/international politics, sociology, education, geography, development studies, economics, management studies, social policy and other areas of applied social science. Membership includes students at all levels of study and academic members of staff.

The research group is currently convened by:

For more information about the research group, please contact: Columba Achilleos-Sarll, c.achilleos-sarll.1@bham.ac.uk.

For specific enquiries about Postgraduate Research related activities, please contact: Scarlet Elliott-Vass, SXE052@student.bham.ac.uk

Activities

The research group runs regular meetings to discuss feminist and gender theory and methods. Sessions range from reading groups discussing recent publications, blogs and podcasts to ‘Work in Progress’ presentations delivered by group members to hosting guest experts in gender and feminist theory from outside the University. Indeed, we’ve been fortunate to host internationally renowned academics, such as Dr Alison Edgely (University of Nottingham), Dr Natalie Brown (Swansea University), Professor Laura Shepherd (University of Sydney), Professor Margaret Thornton (Australian National University) and Professor Alison Phipps (University of Sussex).

Recent activities

Since the start of the pandemic, the Gender and Feminist Theory Group has moved its events and discussion group online. Recent events include:

January 2022

Dr Camilla Dawson (University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust) - Liminality, intersectionality and head and neck cancer

June 2021

D’Arcy Ritchie (Doctoral Candidate, POLSIS, University of Birmingham) - A feminist analysis of the politics of shame, emotion, and Image Based Sexual Abuse

May 2021

Chalisa Chintrakarn (Doctoral Candidate, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham) - Postfeminism as Transnational Culture: The Case of Cosmetic Surgery among Young Thai Women

April 2021

Dr Alison Edgley (School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham) with discussant Professor Nicola Gale (HMSC, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham) - Maternal Presenteeism

March 2021

Molly Atkins (Doctoral Candidate, IDD, University of Birmingham) - Researching with women working in African small-scale fisheries

February 2021

Patrick Vernon (Doctoral Candidate, POLSIS, University of Birmingham) - Queering Genocide: Drawing Links Between Feminist Genocide Studies and Queer IR

January 2021

Dr Natalie Brown (Swansea University and The Welsh Institute of Performance Science) - How can we support females to perform on any day of their menstrual cycle?

December 2020

Abby Gilsenan (Doctoral Candidate, School of Social Policy) - The impact of relationship & sex education (RSE) in faith schools

September 2020

Kate Barry (Doctoral Candidate, POLSIS, University of Birmingham) - Abortion Law in Northern Ireland: Discursive depoliticisation, sectarianism and gender

July 2020

Dr Frankie Rogan (School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham) - Researching Digital Femininities 

Members

Academics:

Doctoral researchers:

  • D'arcy Ritchie (Doctoral Candidate, POLSIS)
  • Scarlet Elliot-Vass (Doctoral Candidate, IDD)

 

Gender and Feminist Theory research group is part of the Department of Political Science and International Studies.