Gender Institute

From Care for the Living to Care for the Dead: Maternal Labour and the 'Searching Mothers' in Mexico By Charli McMackin

New Substack from our Assistant Director, Charli McMackin: the 'searching mothers' in Mexico and the gendered outsourcing of justice—when the state abandons the search, women inherit 'care for the dead.'

Read the full article here: royalhollowaygenderinstitute.substack.com/p/from-care-...

Go, Run, Lead 2026 ✨
The Gender Institute & Girls Who Talk Politics host a 2-hour intro to building a career in politics. Speakers: Prof Jennifer Piscopo + alumna Olivia Welsh. Wed 11 March, 5–7pm, McCrea 0-02. Women & non-binary students/staff. 20 places – register via QR. We hope to see you there!

Join us for “Spectres of Sexual Danger: The Safety Politics of the For Women Scotland Supreme Court Decision” with Prof Sarah Lamble.

🗓️ Tuesday 17th February
🕒 3–4pm
📍 Location details via sign-up (link on the flyer)

Blurred Violence Exploring the Politics of the Misogynist Involuntary Celibate Community

In our first Gender Institute Substack of 2026, Dr Elsa Bengtsson Meuller, fellow at the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism, explores the concept of "blurred violence" and what it reveals about misogyny, accountability, and power in contemporary society: bit.ly/4jMtA9C

Interested in gender, power, and social justice? 📚

Our MSc in Gender Studies offers interdisciplinary training, an intersectional focus, and specialisation pathways across politics, history, IR, and global futures.

Search 'Gender Studies' to find out more: www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/

📢 Scholar of the Month!

The Gender Institute invites you to our next talk with Dr Elsa Bengtsson Mueller ✨

🗓️ Tuesday 25 Nov
🕒 3–4 PM
📍 Founder’s Lecture Theatre

“Blurred Violence: Exploring the Politics of the Misogynist Involuntary Celibate Community”

Join us on 6 Nov at 1pm for a talk by Professor Madeline Balaam (KTH, Sweden): “Design explorations at the intersection of intimacy, the intimate body and technology”, exploring how design and emerging technologies shape our experiences of touch, care, and the body.
📍CDT Room, Bedford Building

‘Working Women’: Gender, Work, and the Politics of Refusal, with Dr Asiya Islam of the LSE. Parchment, Power and Purpose: Writings from the Gender Institute

In our latest for Parchment, Power & Purpose, Dr Asiya Islam (LSE) discusses A Woman’s Job, exploring how young women in Delhi navigate gender, work & refusal in post-liberalisation India.
👉 Read the full interview here: open.substack.com/pub/royalhol...

Navigating gender in research on the far right Image Author’s Own

New Substack from Elizabeth Pearson: "Navigating gender in research on the far right"
bit.ly/4huAI9K
Also see her Conversation piece: “Elon Musk and the phoney far-right narrative of ‘protecting’ women”
bit.ly/47kwEUO
Debate continues with Dr Elsa Bengtsson Mueller's talk, 25 Nov 3pm, Founder’s LT.

Our friends at the Gender Institute have joined Bluesky, give them a follow at @genderrhul.bsky.social !

Navigating gender in research on the far right Image Author’s Own

Interested in our work? Sign up to the new RHUL GI Substack, Parchment, Power and Purpose to read more from our inter-disciplinary team!

The latest post is by @lizzypearson.bsky.social on Navigating Gender doing research on the far right .. Support us and subscribe! 👇👇

substack.com/home/post/p-...

📢 Scholar of the Month!

The Gender Institute invites you to our first talk of the term with Dr Asiya Islam

🗓️ Tuesday 21st October
🕒 3–4 PM
📍 Bedford 0-07
✨ “‘Working women’: Gender, work, and the politics of refusal”

RHUL Gender Institute | Substack Founded in 2020 with British Academy funding, the Gender Institute at Royal Holloway supports research, teaching, and activism on gender and sexuality, fostering collaboration, learning, and community...

Just launched: the Gender Institute Substack 📝

A space for ideas, research, and conversations on gender and equity.

Come read and subscribe: substack.com/@royalhollow...

The Gender Institute at Royal Holloway & Shzr Ee Tan invite you to "Snack Supremo Aunties" — Sat 26 July, 3–5.30pm at 11 Bedford Sq, WC1B 3RE.

Talks on menopause, food and care, plus shared snacks from Southeast Asia. Limited places. Register here: bit.ly/45jktrq

We look forward to welcoming you!

Dr. Daanika Kamal’s new book (OUP) reveals how Pakistani law discredits women who report domestic abuse. Based on 100+ cases, it offers a vital feminist legal critique.
🔗 global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Join us today at 4:30pm in McCrea 0-02 or Teams to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Gender Institute with a talk from founder and former PIRP Head of Department Laura Sjoberg - all staff and students welcome to the talk and refreshments afterwards in the Chris Rumford Library, McCrea Building.

Everyone is most welcome to join Professor Laura Sjoberg talk about her upcoming book on Tuesday 6th May at 4:30pm and the networking and general get together afterwards - gender@rhul.ac.uk.