General Barrow once said that “War is a man’s work… you have to protect the manliness of war”. But when men are given the exclusive role of protecting their country, there is an implication that they also have authority and responsibility over the protected.
In today’s episode, we dive into the field of Feminist Security Studies to explore gender, conflict, and how the two interact. Joining us is Professor Laura Sjoberg, a Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford. Author of Mothers, Monsters, Whores: Women’s Violence in Global Politics; Gendering Global Conflict: Toward a Feminist Theory of War; and Women as Wartime Rapists, Professor Sjoberg is a leading expert in the field.
Our conversation begins by setting out what we mean when we use terms like feminism, gender, and patriarchy. From here, we explore how a person’s entry point into the field determines their perspective on the field – whether the emphasis is on “Feminist” or “Security” Studies.
This sets up for a broader conversation on how female violence is understood in the public mind and the feminists debates about whether or not women should participate in war.
Be sure to listen to our conversation here and read more about Professor Sjoberg’s work here.