Research for change: Spotlight on SOAS Centre for Gender Studies
An introduction to the SOAS Centre for Gender Studies—an interdisciplinary hub where research, activism, and community intersect in the pursuit of social justice and transformative change.
At SOAS, much of the research is driven by a commitment to social justice and transformative change. The Centre for Gender Studies (CGS) is no different. An interdisciplinary space, CGS has strived to “support anti-racist feminisms and social movements challenging normative constructions of gender and sexuality” since 2005.
What is CGS?
I discovered CGS after finding out that I could take a year-long Gender Studies course as part of my MA in Cultural Studies, thanks to the interdisciplinary nature of SOAS degrees. When I was applying around this time last year, I faced an impossible question: which programme? If you’ve had the chance to peruse the impressive list of taught postgraduate degrees SOAS offers, you might understand this dilemma.
One of my top three choices was MA Gender Studies with its unique course list (e.g., Transnationalising Queer, Trans, and Disability Studies) and spectacular faculty (e.g., Dr Abeera Khan, Dr Sophie Chamas, etc). Thankfully, I could take a Gender Studies course, so I can say with full confidence that the Centre for Gender Studies (CGS) is something truly special.
CGS are particularly interested in decolonising feminist scholarship by privileging queer, transnational, and critical legal theory that centers Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. What I find most remarkable about their mission is that they seek to connect academia to activism, creating a community committed to anti-racist praxis.
Building a community by connecting academia to activism
Throughout the term, CGS hosts a regular Research Seminar Series offering a chance for a community cross-pollination of ideas across disciplinary and regional boundaries. On most Thursday nights this term you can find a crowd of students, scholars, and community makers gathered in the Kamran Djam Lecture Theatre, listening to incredible presentations from feminist, queer, and cultural academics across the world. Here are a couple of events from this term’s CGS seminar series that stand out:
Gendered Genealogies in the Face of the Sudanese State: Dr Azza Ahmed Abdel Aziz’s research draws on her extensive experience working with those subject to forced migration in Sudan and the United Kingdom. Specifically, she examines the health and well-being of these groups in light of “processes of exclusion, marginalisation, difference, belonging, and becoming.” Her focus on the separation/independence of South Sudan and its impact on social identity is especially critical given the recent South Sudanese Civil War and the ongoing Sudanese Civil War.
Caribbean Cultural Production and the Politics of Scale: In her own words, at this event, Dr Julia Michiko Hori “examines the 'small' and the 'little' as paradoxical metrics and models of anxiety, crisis, survival, and promise in the narration of Caribbean decolonisation and migration to the UK.” I was particularly excited to hear from Dr Hori, an Associate Professor of Caribbean Literature at the University of Cambridge, after reading her article on the counter-monuments of the Caribbean diaspora, which confront the contemporary aesthetics of empire.
Member spotlight
There are so many fascinating members affiliated with this Centre, but I’ll limit myself to highlighting the work of two:
The Chair of CGS, Dr Alyosxa Tudor is primarily interested in the field of trans/gender studies, having published articles such as “Im/Possibilities of Refusing and Choosing Gender,” for which they won the 2019 Feminist Theory Essay Prize. They are such a beloved professor at SOAS, that they were awarded a Director’s Teaching Prize for their innovative teaching. One of my favourite examples of their remarkable writing is this blog post, which, among many topics, considers what (white) “distraction” means in light of digital discourse concerning BLM and Terfism.
I’m not sure what is more impressive—Professor Nadje Al-Ali extensive bibliography which considers the representation and liberation of gender in the Middle East, or her work as an editor, including the book New Approaches to Migration? and within the Association for Middle East Women's Studies (AMEWS). Her research and activism especially center Iraqi women, but I first came across her on SOAS’ YouTube page in her inaugural lecture: Transnational feminist journeys to and from the Middle East. It’s definitely worth a listen.
All in all, I’m happy to say I don’t regret not enrolling in the Gender Studies MA because CGS has provided me with many opportunities to connect with the local (and at times, extra-local) community interested in academic activism along intersectional feminist lines. Be sure you don’t miss any of CGS’ upcoming seminar series—all are welcome to attend!
About the author
A.L. (Lilly) Clausen received an MFA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and a BA in International Political Economy from Sarah Lawrence College.
She is currently an MA candidate in Cultural Studies at SOAS, where she researches the publishing industry through the framework of late-stage capitalism. When she's not lost in a good book, Lilly loves to sing, tap, and craft stories on the page.
