The Cambridge Student Podcasts

In this episode, Asha Metcalfe and Sophie Biancelli are joined by Dr Isabelle Higgins, a sociologist at the University of Cambridge, to discuss how online culture reflects and perpetuates systems of power and inequality. We explore how epistemic and affective structures influence aesthetics, visibility and representation.Drawing on Stuart Hall’s theory of regimes of representation, and conjunctural analysis, we explore how visibility online today is mediated by histories of inequality. How do online representations of adopted children of colour today reflect colonial legacies? How does generative AI reinforce systems of oppression? Does the rise of Sabrina Carpenter and Addison Rae suggest we live in a post-feminist world? Isabelle demonstrates how sociological theory can be used to explore these questions and examine what online cultural products, from adoption websites to music videos, reveal about our society. To clarify, the point on Bourdieu and Wacquant's three types of reflexivity refers to:1) social origins and coordinates of the individual research, 2) the academic field – ‘the objective space of possible intellectual positions offered to him or her’, 3) the ‘intellectualist bias which invites us to consider the world as a spectacle’ (Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992:39)Isabelle Higgins' Work:Early research into adoption and the internet - Higgins, I. (2024). Classified children: A critical analysis of the digital interfaces and representations that mediate adoption in the United States. New Media & Society, 26(11), 6597-6614.Reflection on archival research - Higgins, I. (2025) ‘Complex Connections: Coloniality, embodiment and children of colour in the archives’ Decolonizing Bodies, Eds. Carolyn Ureña & Saiba Varma; Bloomsbury Academic Press.Co-authored writing on AI with colleagues at the department of Sociology - Baert, P., Dorschel, R., Hall, M., Higgins, I., McPherson, E., & Philip, S. (2026). Dialogues Towards Sociologies of Generative AI. Social Science Computer Review, 44(1), 59-79.People and concepts mentioned:Other sources mentioned:Stuart Hall on Conjunctural Analysis - link to talk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHpht1nNtB0&t=1s and transcript here https://www.mediaed.org/transcripts/Stuart-Hall-Through-the-Prism-of-an-Intellectual-Life-Transcript.pdfLaura Briggs on adoption imagery - Briggs, L. (2003). Mother, child, race, nation: The visual iconography of rescue and the politics of transnational and transracial adoption. Gender & History, 15(2), 179-200.Julian Go - the beginning of sociology as a discipline - Go, J. 2013. ‘The Emergence of American Sociology in the Context of Empire’. In Sociology & Empire: The Imperial Entanglements of a Discipline, edited by George Steinmetz, 83–103. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Bourdieu/Waquant - social coordinates of a researcher - Wacquant, L. J., & Bourdieu, P. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology University of Chicago Press.Linda Tuhiwai Smith - “Get the story right and tell the story well”  - Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples (2nd ed.). Zed Books Sara Ahmed - ‘histories that stick’ - Ahmed, S. (2004). Collective feelings: Or, the impressions left by others. Theory, culture & society, 21(2), 25-42.Gustavo H. Dalaqua - Aesthetic injusticeKanai and Gill - Kanai, A., & Gill, R. (2020). Woke? Affect, neoliberalism, marginalised identities and consumer culture. New Formations, 102(102), 10-27.Francesca Sobande on CGI influencers - Sobande, F. (2021). Spectacularized and Branded Digital (Re)presentations of Black People and Blackness. Television & New Media, 22(2), 131-146.Angela McRobbie - Postfeminism - McRobbie, A. (2004). Post‐feminism and popular culture. Feminist media studies, 4(3), 255-264.Briony Hannell - fandom - Hannell, Briony. 2023. Feminist Fandom: Media Fandom, Digital Feminisms, and Tumblr. Bloomsbury.

Dans notre premier épisode en français, Astrid Carrasco et Helena Kondak s’entretiennent avec Perrine Lachenal, anthropologue chargée de recherche au CNRS et co-coordinatrice de l’axe thématique « Chantiers féministes » au Centre Norbert Elias. La chercheuse a coordonné une ethnographie multi-située menée par une grande équipe de chercheurs sur le procès des viols de Mazan; une affaire qui “tient à la fois de l’ordinaire et de l’extraordinaire, l’histoire d’une femme, comme tant d’autres, violée par un homme : son mari. L’affaire est inédite par son ampleur et sa matérialité sordide : ces viols ont été filmés, (mais aussi parce que) Gisèle Pelicot fait partie des victimes qui ont porté plainte, bénéficié d’une enquête, obtenu un procès sans huis clos et des condamnations.”Dans l’épisode, nous cherchons à comprendre ce que l’anthropologie révèle sur cette affaire et sur la justice, ce que le journalisme ne peut pas. Nous envisageons l’importance de parler de cette affaire à la fois comme un “événement” singulier et comme une réflexion sur un continuum de violences et de voyeurisme. Comment envisager le procès et le tribunal comme des objets d’étude sociale ? Comment habiter ces espaces en tant que chercheuses, et les écrire à plusieurs ? Pour tout commentaire ou suggestion / for any comments, contact : thefeministfiles2025@gmail.comor DM our Instagram : @the_feminist_files_//The Gisèle Pélicot case: an anthropology of the ordinary with Perrine Lachenal In our first episode in French, Astrid Carrasco and Helena Kondak talk to Perrine Lachenal, an anthropologist and research fellow at the CNRS and co-coordinator of the ‘Feminist Projects’ research theme at the Centre Norbert Elias. Lachenal coordinated the work of a large team of researchers on multi-sited ethnography of the Mazan rape trial, a case that “is both ordinary and extraordinary: the story of a woman, like so many others, raped by a man: her husband. The case is unprecedented in its scale and sordid nature: these rapes were filmed, but also because Gisèle Pelicot is one of the victims who filed a complaint, benefited from an investigation, secured a trial held in open court, and obtained convictions.”In this episode, we seek to understand what anthropology allows us to grasp differently from journalism and the justice system when faced with such a case: why speak of a singular “event”, which nevertheless reflects a continuum of violence and voyeurism? How might we view the trial and the court as subjects of social study? How might we inhabit these spaces as researchers and write about them collectively? For any comments or suggestions, contact: thefeministfiles2025@gmail.comor DM our Instagram: @the_feminist_files_Credits: Hosted by Helena Kondak and Astrid CarrascoJoined by Perrine Lachenal Edited by Astrid CarrascoCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey

On today’s episode, Asha Metcalfe and Rosie Hillary speak to Sveto Muhammad Ishoq, a women’s rights advocate, TEDx Speaker, and social enterprise founder who works to empower Afghan women economically and amplify their voices on the global stage. We discuss how media representations of Afghan women distort the reality of their experience, and unpack the importance of Sveto’s own project Chadari, which aims to reframe the hijab narrative. Sveto emphasises the importance of speaking and listening to Afghan women to reframe biased narratives. We explore the connection between peace and education, and discuss the importance of Afghan women-led peacekeeping from the diaspora. We consider the strength and agency of Afghan women both in Afghanistan, and among the diaspora despite Taliban rule. We conclude by discussing recommendations for the international community to ensure support for women’s rights in Afghanistan is led by grassroots organisations and centres Afghan women themselves.Find Sveto’s work listed below:Chadari Project https://www.instagram.com/chadariproject/?hl=en Building Peace from Afar: Women-Led Peacekeeping from the Diaspora:https://digital.sandiego.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=ipj-research Sveto’s TEDxLSE Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/sveto_muhammad_ishoq_the_untold_truth_about_afghan_womenOrganisations mentioned in the episode:Aseel app: https://aseelapp.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoph9RqPXg8NyjUTJUVAP_DbH4qvl9L8-vdjvHvroPTXx9W8cdWiLearn afghanistan: https://learnafghan.org/Muska app: https://www.muska-app.com/ 

In this episode of The Feminist Files, Helena and Astrid are joined by Delphine O, the former French Ambassador and Secretary General of the 4th Conference on Feminist Foreign Policies. They explored Delphine O's exceptional career trajectory as the first person ever to lead and represent France's feminist diplomacy in multilateral and bilateral relations. She gave them insights into the inner workings of the French foreign ministry, international feminist collaboration, and critiques of feminist diplomacy. They also discussed the unique challenges and structures of the growing transnational backlash movements, as well as the tools feminist diplomacy has to combat them. For any comments or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com or on Instagram: @the_feminist_files_ CreditsHosted by Helena Kondak and Astrid Healy-CarrascoJoined by Delphine OEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey

In this episode of The Feminist Files, Helena sits down with Dr Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, President of GREVIO: the Council of Europe’s independent monitoring body for the Istanbul Convention. As the leading mechanism ensuring that states uphold their commitments to combat violence against women and domestic violence, GREVIO occupies a crucial role. President Kostopoulou give her insights on how GREVIO evaluates states, issues recommendations, and navigates political resistance. The conversation explores the deeper philosophical and political stakes of justice. Drawing on her powerful insight that “justice can become blind to truth when it does not consider emotions,” Dr Kostopoulou explains why listening to victims, beyond case files and formal procedures, is essential to achieving real accountability.Helena and Dr Kostopoulou also unpack some of the most pressing challenges facing gender equality today:The backlash against the Istanbul Convention, including controversies such as Latvia’s attempted withdrawalThe rise of reactionary and anti-gender ideologies across EuropeThe growing threat of cyberviolence and online misogynyPersistent barriers to justice, from underfunded systems to widespread impunityFor any comments or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com or on Instagram : @the_feminist_files_ CreditsHosted by Helena KondakJoined by Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou,Edited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey

In this episode, Rosie Hillary and Sophie Biancelli are joined by Rida Fatima, an intersectional feminist writer currently working at the Asian University for Women. Together, they discuss both the Rohingya crisis and Taliban rule in Afghanistan from an intersectional feminist perspective, questioning Western assumptions about what it means to be a refugee and a woman in the Global South. They focus on the opportunities which education can offer the women who are most affected by these these crises, particularly those living in refugee camps today.To read more of Rida's work, follow the links below!https://dirtychai.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/ridax16/https://clandestinemagazine.com/the-rohingya-crisis-from-my-bedroom/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, Isobelle Oppon is joined by Dr Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist and research lead at Fully Human whose work and research focuses on reducing abuse, trauma and sexual exploitation. The Feminist Files also welcomes back Ella Perkin and Sam McQuaker from the Cambridge society, Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE). We discuss the problematic rhetorics of sex positivity that obscure coercion, and the psychological effects of sexual exploitation, in particular the notion of shame. We also talk about the upcoming CASE conference which will be held on the 7th of April and Ella and Sam’s motivations and goals related to the event. 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.co.uk Rape Crisis England and Wales, Rape and Sexual Abuse 24/7 support line: 0808 500 2222Elly Hanson’s work and the three essays she mentions:https://fullyhuman.org.ukThe upcoming (free) CASE conference:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/case-conference-breaking-the-silence-tickets-1981565733451?aff=oddtdtcreatorScrub the Stigma:https://www.scrubthestigma.comNaked Truth Project:https://nakedtruthproject.com/get-educated/Episode edited by Rowan Berkley

In this episode, “Iran : Roots of Resistance”, Asha Metcalfe and Astrid Healy Carrasco are joined by Iranian activist Zolal Habibi to discuss the current state of Iranian resistance politics and its generational heritage.Given current military and political developments, the episode starts with much-needed context from Zolal, but also with insights into the current Iranian resistance movement. She details exactly how it differs from previous waves of opposition. She develops her insights on the Iranian culture of resistance, with particular attention given to the women that give life to popular opposition. Looking to the future, Zolal argues against Western interventionism, including in potential support for a return to monarchy. Instead, she highlights the resistance’s 10 point roadmap for a democratic Iran. The Iranian revolution must be fashioned by and for Iranians and their freedom. For any comments or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com or on Instagram : @the_feminist_files_ CreditsHosted by Asha Metcalfe and Astrid Healy CarrascoJoined by Zolal HabibiEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey