The Cambridge Student Podcasts

In this episode, hosts Asha Metcalfe and Rosie Hillary are joined by Reese Marley Robinson, a recent Cambridge graduate, to discuss her sociology dissertation exploring the lived experiences of Black girls in Britain’s private schools. Drawing on interviews and her own experiences, Reese explains the “affective cost of inclusion” and the emotional labour of navigating elite, predominantly white institutions which marginalise the experiences of racial minorities. We discuss topics like misogynoir, structural racism, code-switching, hair politics, and the racialised politics of visibility. We explore how Black peer networks can be sites of resistance and care, and talk about what meaningful institutional change could look like for Britain’s education system. Here are some readings that are related to our discussion!  Anti-Community: The Kitchen & Our Cooked Community https://radicalblackbrits.substack.com/p/anti-community-the-kitchen-and-ourThe Brixton Balck Women’s Group https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2024/07/30/book-review-speak-out-the-brixton-black-womens-group-milo-miller/Farleigh’s Place: Wealth, Privilege and Whiteness by Reese Marley Robinson https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/culture/farleighs-place-wealth-privilege-and-whitenessLewis, Amanda E., 1970-. Race in the Schoolyard : Negotiating the Color Line in Classrooms and Communities. New Brunswick, N.J. :Rutgers University Press, 2003.Nash, J.C. (2019). Black Feminism Reimagined: After Intersectionality. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv111jhd0Carby, Hazel V. (1982) ‘White woman listen!: Black feminism and the boundaries of sisterhood’ in Centre for Contemporary Cultural StudiesDavis, Angela (2016) Freedom is a Constant Struggle Chicago: Haymarket Books.Episode Edited by Rowan BerkleyVote for us in People’s Choice Awards 2026:https://politicalpodcastawards.co.uk/the-peoples-choice-award/Follow The Feminist Files on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/Follow The Feminist Files Substack:https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles

In this episode, Helena Kondak is joined by Zoe Abrams, DPhil student in Sociology at the University of Oxford, to discuss her latest work: Explaining Societal Shifts in Victim Blaming and Perpetrator Culpability for Sexual Violence: Evidence From the #MeToo Era.Abrams studied Politics and Sociology at the University of Cambridge before pursuing an MSci in Sociology at the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the A. H. Halsey Prize for Best Performance. She is now pursuing a DPhil in Sociology, focusing on the gender gap in political mobilisation among young people.During the interview, Abrams and I discussed whether individuals reacted to the shift in public discourse concerning sexual violence after the MeToo movement in the same way that institutions did. Zoe's focus on Scotland was crucial to understanding how feminist politics and influence in policy-making led to Scotland being the only country to collect data on attitudes towards sexual violence."From the founding of the Scottish Parliament, the feminist movements were there, framing the key issues and collecting data on attitudes towards women". Here is a list of the resources mentioned in the episode: Diana E. H. Russell, & Howell, N. (1983). The Prevalence of Rape in the United States Revisited. Signs, 8(4), 688–695. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3173690 Wilson, L. C., & Miller, K. E. (2015). Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence of Unacknowledged Rape. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 17(2), 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838015576391 (Original work published 2016).Want to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via email: thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com or via Instagram: @the_feminist_filesYou can also find us on Instagram: @the_feminist_filesCredits:Hosted by Helena KondakJoined by Zoe AbramsEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey

Women’s college-level football has recently taken the form of an informal intercollegiate league following the banning of transgender women from participation in college-affiliated league matches, in line with the UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this year. What are captains, colleges and Cambridge University doing in light of this legislative pressure? What does this mean for inclusivity and the future of women’s football as a whole? Faith Cunningham discusses this sensitive and complex issue with guests Lara and Tia, members of the college women's football league.For any welfare concerns, please get in contact with Louisa, the CUAFC Welfare Officer. If you have any questions or comments, please email fc5562@cam.ac.ukFollow The Feminist Files on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/Follow The Feminist Files Substack:https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles

In this episode, we are joined by Sam McQuaker and Ella Perkin, founders of Cambridge society, Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE) to discuss impact and institutionalisation of sexual exploitation. We discuss perspectives on topics like porn and the decriminalisation of sex work, and question how existing institutions need to be reconfigured for gender and sexual equality to be achieved. This episode discusses themes of sexual exploitation and abuse which may be distressing to some listeners. If you have experienced sexual violence or abuse, consider reaching out to a trusted support service or helpline in your area for assistance.Cambridge Women’s Aid: 01223 361214 or via email at outreach@cambridgewa.org.uk Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre: 01223 245 888 or via support@cambridgerapecrisis.org.ukRape Crisis England and Wales, Rape and Sexual Abuse 24/7 support line: 0808 500 2222Galop run a helpline for LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence: 0800 999 5428Here are links to any articles or reports we mention in the podcast:Takedown: Inside the Fight to Shut Down Pornhub for Child Abuse, Rape, and Sex Trafficking, Leila Mickelwait https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Takedown-by-Laila-Mickelwait/9780593542019?srsltid=AfmBOooCumndxCQkyq7crODi-8drrXZRhj30cBPSsqjWZkrF5t59hCQLHot Money Podcast: https://www.ft.com/hot-moneyChildren’s Commissioner, Children’s Experiences of the Online World:https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/ive-seen-horrible-things-childrens-experiences-of-the-online-world/Lost Boys Report:https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/lost-boysThe Online Degradation of Women and Girls That We Met with a Shrug, Nicholas Kristof:​​https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/23/opinion/deepfake-sex-videos.htmlElly Hanson’s work:https://fullyhuman.org.uk/Josh Pieter’s documentary with Lily Phillips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFySAh0g-MI&t=6sEveryone’s Invited:https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/Andrew Norfolk interview about the struggle to expose the Rochdale grooming gangs:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHntVVOQRGY Naked Truth Project:https://nakedtruthproject.com/get-educated/ Episode edited by Rowan Berkley

In this episode, we are joined by Angèle Albrengues to discuss how current EU legal frameworks fail to address the risks of gender discrimination associated with artificial intelligence models. We discuss how AI technology reinforces the biases it is fed, reproducing inequality in both overt and covert ways. We highlight how sexism, misogyny, and gender-based violence cannot be escaped in digital spaces. Despite the prevalence of this issue, we explore how AI’s lack of transparency and lack of legal personhood makes it challenging to legislatively address the discrimination it perpetuates. Angèle discusses how existing frameworks can be used to confront this issue, and we consider whether AI can be reprogrammed to champion the feminist perspective.If you are interested in this topic, here are some further reading suggestions:‘Weight of gender in artificial intelligence models’ implementation in the European Union non-discrimination laws’ by Angèle Albrengues and Lerong Lu https://www.elspub.com/papers/j/1912463123407900672 ‘Generative AI exists because of the transformer’ written by Madhumita Murgia for the Financial Times https://ig.ft.com/generative-ai/ ‘Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: An Overview’ by Suzie Dunn https://www.cigionline.org/publications/technology-facilitated-gender-based-violence-overview/ New Age of Sexism by Laura BatesTo check out the charity Angele works for: https://stopfisha.org/, https://www.instagram.com/stopfisha/ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow our instagram and substack!https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles

How can our political beliefs be shaped in the classroom?In this episode, hosts Rosie Hillary and Asha Metcalfe talk with Australian teacher and PHD Candidate, Alice Elwell about the power of feminist pedagogy in promoting democratic citizenship among students. Knowledge is never politically neutral; we discuss how feminist pedagogy conceptualises the classroom as a space for socio-political activism, aiming to challenge patriarchal paradigms in education. Alice discusses how teachers can use critical literacy to become 'affective curators' by harnessing feelings of discomfort among students. Feelings of affective dissonance emerge from one’s embodied sense of self, and the self we are socially expected to be. When these feelings arise among students in the classroom they can be a catalyst for political change.Media mentioned in this podcast:New Perspectives on Education for Democracy: Creative Responses to Local and Global Challenges by Alice Elwell https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003145806-13Feminist pedagogies in a time of backlash by Alice Elwell and Rachel Buchanan https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2019.1680810We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieAffective Economies by Sara Ahmed https://voidnetwork.gr/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Affective-economies-by-Ahmed-Sara-1.pdfThe problem of anti-feminist 'Denfluencer' Andrew Tate in Australian schools: women teachers' experiences of resurgent male supremacy by Stephanie Wescott https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2023.2292622Exploring the online experiences of young men and boys: what influences, motivates, shapes and informs their experiences by Deakin University https://theconversation.com/i-dont-really-wanna-consume-his-content-what-do-young-australian-men-think-of-andrew-tate-233654Why doesn't this feel empowering? Working through the repressive myths of critical pedagogy by Elizabeth Ellsworth https://mariaacaso.es/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/56fb22eadc6312a9894c7ad84547022b.pdfSee the works of Jessia Ringrose https:///profiles.ucl.oc.uk/48638-jesaica-ringroseSee the works of EJ Reynolds https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/reynold

How does one even begin to rebuild an economy while a war rages on? Faith Cunningham speaks with Vlada Yaremenko, Senior Project Officer at RUSI’s Centre for Finance and Security, about Ukraine’s fight for financial integrity.

In today’s episode, Barbara Foliot explores the democratisation of online sex work, using OnlyFans as a case study to examine whether it empowers sex workers or glamorises prostitution. Joined by Dr. Harriet Fletcher, a feminist media expert, they discuss how OnlyFans offer autonomy to creators but also raise ethical concerns, such as the lack of support for performers' well-being. While digital sex work has introduced new opportunities, it has also blurred lines between personal and professional content. This new, concise format aims to educate on the evolving landscape of sex work, its societal acceptance, and the challenges surrounding safety and legitimacy. Sources used to make this episode:Sex workers testimonies: - Privacy Issues in Online Sex Work : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy4GszKoYu8- Onlyfans: le commerce du X, nouvelle génération: https://www.la-croix.com/Onlyfans-commerce-X-nouvelle-generation-2022-11-02-1301240382- Creator Testimonials on OnlyFans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMh80ZfRgy0Find the rest of the sources on: https://linktr.ee/gender.agenda?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=d88e9f98-5a2e-43ba-b27e-e720ebcd2b73 Want to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via our instagram @gender.agenda and @collective.phoenix Credits:Hosted by Barbaria FoliotJoined by Dr. Harriet FletcherEdited by Barbara FoliotCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey