Troubled Times: Gender and Politics in the 21st Century

PSA Women and Politics Conference, June 17th/18th 2025

Hosted by the Gender and Inequalities (GAIN) Centre at the University of Southampton

Overview

The backlash against gender equality can be found in public opinion, public policy and recent election results across the globe. Conservative movements, populist politics, and media representation have coalesced to push back against gender equity gains, meaning gender equality actors are forced to resist and contest this backsliding. The rise of anti-feminist rhetoric and the erosion of reproductive rights are symptomatic of a broader political climate that seeks to reassert traditional gender norms and undermine the feminist agenda. Yet, alongside these challenges, feminist activism and scholarship continue to pushback, developing strategies to counteract and resist the roll back of hard-won feminist gains. Amid these struggles, there are also signs of hope, with some countries continuing to advance equality, enshrining protections in policies, legislation, and constitutions – progress that deserves recognition and celebration.

Welcoming papers from across time and space, this conference analyses the causes and impact of equality backlash and backsliding while centring gender politics scholarship and activism that resist these trends.

We invite paper submissions that explore a wide range of topics related to gender and politics emphasising the contemporary challenges and opportunities for social change in troubled times.

Submissions

We welcome papers and panels on topics including, but not limited to:

• Feminist and anti-feminist movements
• The intersection of gender, race, disability and class in politics
• Gender and electoral politics
• The impact of digital media and technology on gender politics
• Gender in political theory and discourse
• Gender-based violence and policy responses
• Gender and climate change: environmental justice and activism
• Transnational feminist politics and global justice
• Gender and policy-making
• Gender and the politics of health and reproductive rights and justice

Registration 

We’re pleased to let you know that registration is now open for both presenters and attendees, and you can register using this link. Please make sure to complete your registration by 13th June 2025, when registration will close.

Retirement Celebrations and ‘In Conversation’ event 

We are delighted to announce that our conference includes a panel and reception celebrating the retirement and achievements of Professor Fiona Mackay (University of Edinburgh) and Professor Yvonne Galligan (Technological University Dublin). On the first night, we will be having an ‘In Conversation‘ event where we discuss the careers of both Yvonne and Fiona, and would like to gather questions and reflections. So, we have created this form to collect your questions and thoughts to share at the conference.

You are also welcome to ask questions on the day, but this form offers an opportunity to submit questions beforehand for those attending but also for those that are unable.

For further information, please contact [email protected].

The Women and Politics Specialist Group provides a focus for PSA members – both women and men – whose research is concerned with women or gender; and is also a resource for women in the PSA. The group has a commitment to encourage the presence and visibility of women in the PSA and the discipline, while combating sexism.

Find out more about our work here: https://psawomenpolitics.wordpress.com