The Feminist Files cover art

The Feminist Files

The Feminist Files

By: The Feminist Files
Listen for free

About this listen

Welcome to The Feminist Files!


Emerging from the University of Cambridge’s feminist collective, Gender Agenda, our student-run team digs deep into current feminist debates, talking with enthusiasts within the student body and those in the world of policy, academia and activism.


Our originality stems from our desire to democratise feminist discussion; we encourage our enthusiastic team to pursue any feminist-focused topic they are passionate about.


Follow us on Instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Feminist Files Art Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Black Girls’ Experiences in British Private Schools: Misogynoir and the Racialised Politics of Visibility

    Black Girls’ Experiences in British Private Schools: Misogynoir and the Racialised Politics of Visibility
    Dec 19 2025
    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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • The Feminist Files - How have attitudes towards sexual violence changed after the MeToo movement?

    The Feminist Files - How have attitudes towards sexual violence changed after the MeToo movement?
    Dec 1 2025

    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_files


    You can also find us on Instagram: @the_feminist_files


    Credits:

    Hosted by Helena Kondak

    Joined by Zoe Abrams

    Edited by Rowan Berkley

    Cover design by Madeleine Baber

    Music by Jacob Carey

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • The Feminist Files- Gender on the Pitch: How the UK Supreme Court’s New Definition of a Woman is Impacting College Football

    The Feminist Files- Gender on the Pitch: How the UK Supreme Court’s New Definition of a Woman is Impacting College Football
    Nov 24 2025

    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.uk


    Follow The Feminist Files on instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/


    Follow The Feminist Files Substack:

    https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.