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Cathy McIlwaine

Professor Cathy McIlwaine

Vice Dean (Research), Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy

  • Professor of Geography

Research interests

  • Geography

Biography

Professor Cathy McIlwaine has a BA (Geography) and MA (Latin American Studies) from the University of Liverpool and a PhD from the London School of Economics. Prior to joining King's, Cathy held positions in the Geography Departments of the London School of Economics and Political Science (1994-5) and at Queen Mary University of London (1995-2017). She also worked at the World Bank as a Social Scientist Research Project Manager (1-year secondment) in Washington DC(1998-9).

Cathy has served or is currently serving as a trustee for the following organisations: Carila Latin American Welfare Group (2006-9), Children Change Colombia (2010-17), Latin Elephant (2014-present) and the Latin American Bureau (2019-present). She is also an advisory board member of the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (2017-present) and is an Advisory Council Member for the Institute of Latin American Studies, London (2013-present).

Cathy became Vice Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy (SSPP) on 1 October 2020 and was elected as a Fellow to the UK Academy of Social Sciences in 2022. She also served as a sub-panel member representing Geography in the UK Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF).

Cathy has served or is currently serving as a trustee for the following organisations: Carila Latin American Welfare Group (2006-9), Children Change Colombia (2010-17), Latin Elephant (2014-present) and the Latin America Bureau (2019-present). She is also an advisory board member of the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (2017-present).

Cathy also works with arts and theatre organisations, such as the People’s Palace Projects, CASA Latin American Theatre Festival, Footprint Productions, and Migrants in Action. She has collaboratively produced (with Gaël le Cornec) a verbatim theatre play (Efêmera), a short film based on this (Ana), a sound-performance installation (Believe), and a multi-media video installation We Still Fight in the Dark, all based on her research on violence against women and girls. She co-coordinates the King's Visual and Embodied Methodologies Network (with Jelke Boesten and Rachel Kerr).

Cathy's website

Research

Cathy’s research revolves around issues of gender, poverty and violence in cities, especially in Latin America, and among migrants in London. The latter focuses on low-paid migrant workers in general and specifically the Latin American community in relation to transnational livelihoods, citizenship and gendered violence.

Her current and recent research projects are on gendered violence amongst Brazilian migrants in London and among those living in the favela of Maré in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Newton Fund with People's Palace Projects, Redes da Mare, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Latin American Women’s Rights Service) and on the experiences of migrant survivors of VAWG with insecure immigration status (funded by the Latin American Women’s Rights Service through the Lloyds Bank Foundation) as well as a British Academy project on resisting gendered violence and creating dignity among women in Rio de Janeiro. Cathy is also working on several impact/public engagement projects, one with the Latin America Bureau (a podcast, blog and website) on Women Resisting Violence, another with Migrants in Action (a community theatre project - We Still Fight in the Dark).

Cathy also works with arts and theatre organisations, such as the People’s Palace Projects, CASA Latin American Theatre Festival and Footprint Productions. She has collaboratively produced (with Gaël le Cornec) a verbatim theatre play (Efêmera), a short film based on this (Ana) and a sound-performance installation (Believe) all based on her research on violence against women and girls. She co-coordinates the King's Visual and Embodied Methodologies Network.

In the video below Cathy talks us through her new project 'Resisting violence, creating dignity: negotiating Violence against women and girls (VAWG) through community history-making in Rio de Janeiro'

Teaching

Cathy’s teaching focuses on gender and development in the global South, transnational migration and Latin American London.

Undergraduate

  • 4SSG1016 Geography in Action
  • 6SSG3080 Gender and Development in the global South
  • 6SSG0610 Independent Geographical Study

Postgraduate

  • 7SSG5107 Environment, Livelihoods and Development in the South

PhD supervision

Cathy has extensive expertise in supervising PhD students, including on the following subjects. She welcomes students seeking to pursue PhD supervision for:

  • Gender and cities in the Global South
  • Transnational livelihoods
  • Migrant labour
  • Migrant citizenship and political participation
  • Violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the Global South and amongst migrants in the UK
  • Latin London: the Latin American migrant community in London

Further details

See Cathy's research profile

Research

African women natural resources780x440
Contested Development research group

Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.

Gender Studies logo
Gender Studies at King's

Bringing together like-minded scholars and students from across King's to examine the influence of gender relations..

NewVEMMain
Visual Embodied Methodologies Network

Creating spaces of knowledge-exchange and research excellence around visual, embodied and art-based methodologies within, across and beyond Social Sciences.

High volumes of mental health-related tweets associated with crisis referrals
Violence Against Women and Girls in transnational perspective in Rio de Janeiro and London

Examining localised and transnational dynamics of violence against women and girls in Brazil and the UK.

Project status: Ongoing

_DSC0102
Latin American Security Research Group

The Latin American Security Research Group (LAS) gathers experts working on international relations, defence and security in Latin America.

VEMHeroImage
Intersectional Gendered Violence

The project looks at sexual harassment against and among young people, resistance & activism among migrant women and conflict-related gendered trauma and pain.

Project status: Ongoing

Arts and conflict hub page
Arts & Conflict Hub

The Arts & Conflicts hub uses artistic mediums to communicate, teach and research the complexities of conflict

News

ESRC Methods grant for innovative projects analysing the experience of gendered violence

The Visual and Embodied Methodologies (VEM) Network at King’s has secured funding for projects on sexual harassment, conflict-related gendered trauma,...

Image showing the logo for the Visual Embodied Methodologies network

Brazilian migrant women tell their story of working as delivery drivers in London

A new exhibition of photographs taken by the women is part of a larger project on transnational gendered violence, led by King’s researcher Professor Cathy...

Poster of photo exhibition titled 'Who's behind your order?' with a selfie of a Brazilian migrant women in her gear as a delivery driver.

King's academics to share research insights at pubs, cafés at the Pint of Science festival

Teams from across King’s are delivering talks, demonstrations and live experiments at the renowned public science festival.

Geography staff presenting at a Pint of Science event

New book explores women's inspirational strategies for tackling growing gender-based violence

Cathy McIlwaine, Vice Dean Research, SSPP and Professor of Geography, and Jelke Boesten, Associate Dean (Doctoral Studies) SSPP and Professor in Gender and...

Women Resisting Violence podcast logo

SSPP launches new fellowship scheme to encourage global collaborations

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy (SSPP) has launched a Global Visiting Fellowship Scheme for scholars in low- and middle-income countries.

map of the world and abstract lines showing connections

SSPP celebrates impactful research across the faculty

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy recently held its first Impact Awards to recognise and celebrate activity that has had a positive impact on...

SSPP impact awards 2022 winners

IWD 2022: Women leading the way within SSPP

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy has its research endeavour entirely led by women and four women academics from the faculty have just been...

SSPP's title and a montage of images relevant to the faculty's teaching and research

International Women's Day 2022: #BreakTheBias

International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and also marks a call to action for accelerating...

TM IWD Break the Bias.NEW

The effects of gender inequality across the world

New podcast episode looks at how gender bias, gendered violence and gender pay gaps are affecting women and wider society

image of a protest march over women's rights

Women Resisting Violence – King's launches new podcast series

King’s academics, in collaboration with the Latin America Bureau, launch a new three-part podcast series which hears the extraordinary experiences of women...

Women Resisting Violence podcast logo

Events

06Nov

Creating Collective Care - film screening & creative workshops with Migrants in Action

Special screenings and creative workshops exploring collective care - part of Festival of Social Science

Please note: this event has passed.

18Sep

Book launch: Gendered Urban Violence among Brazilians

Learn how creative engagements are crucial for understanding and resisting gendered urban violence and generating empathetic change.

Please note: this event has passed.

28Nov

Women Resisting Violence Book Launch

Authors and collaborators on the new book will discuss women's widespread creative responses to gender-based violence.

Please note: this event has passed.

03May

Exhibition: Dignity & Resistance

This exhibition and ancillary events explore community pathways for resisting gendered urban violence in Rio de Janeiro and London. The exhibition draws on...

Please note: this event has passed.

17Feb

Creative and research responses to building resistance against gender-based violence in Rio de Janeiro and London

Join this Roundtable with Cathy Mcllwaine to discuss Creative and Research responses to building resistance against Gender-Based Violence in Rio de Janeiro...

Please note: this event has passed.

27Jan

Listening to Women Resisting Violence

At this online roundtable discussion, we present the Women Resisting Violence podcast project. The roundtable will specifically focus on the podcast as a...

Please note: this event has passed.

08Jun

Ethics and Creative Research Methods

A Visual Embodied Methodologies workshop series event with Jelke Boesten, Rachel Kerr, Cathy McIlwaine and Svetlana Sequeira Costa

Please note: this event has passed.

01Mar

Visualising the Margins: Gendered Perspectives exhibition

This exhibition presents the (audio)visual work of seven women academics at different stages of their career at King’s College London.

Please note: this event has passed.

Features

Women resisting violence: capturing their voices through research and community engagement

For this year's 16 Days of Activism, we speak to Cathy McIllwaine about women resisting violence.

16-days-in-focus-hero

IWD2021: Women's leadership and gender equality in academia

Professor Cathy McIlwaine, Vice Dean for Research for the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, on the challenges faced by women in academia, promoting...

Credit: UN Women/Yihui Yuan.

Geography's 'Best Undergraduate Dissertation' award winner reflects on her journey

Geography graduate Rachel Wibberley won the department's 'Best Undergraduate Dissertation'. Here she reflects on her undergraduate journey and the process of...

Rachel Wibberly UG award

Meet our SSPP research grant winners

Find out about some of the research projects underway across the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

books and lights hero 1903

Women in favelas are the backbone of responses to the coronavirus crisis in Rio de Janeiro

Favela communities have been severely affected by the coronavirus crisis intensifying existing inequalities

Feminist-perspectives-banner

Women in favelas step up during inadequate COVID-19 government response

Despite adversity, women of the 'slums' of Rio de Janeiro are picking up the slack in an effort to support and protect their communities.

Woman sewing mask in Rio de Janeiro, credit Casa das Mulheres

Living in fear during the COVID-19 crisis: migrant women with insecure immigration status and domestic violence

Migrant women facing gender-based violence and insecure immigration status face exacerbated gender inequalities due to the current pandemic.

violence women 1903 558

Understanding the impacts on society of COVID-19

How the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy is helping us understand the huge societal shifts created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

empty stores hero sized

Research

African women natural resources780x440
Contested Development research group

Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.

Gender Studies logo
Gender Studies at King's

Bringing together like-minded scholars and students from across King's to examine the influence of gender relations..

NewVEMMain
Visual Embodied Methodologies Network

Creating spaces of knowledge-exchange and research excellence around visual, embodied and art-based methodologies within, across and beyond Social Sciences.

High volumes of mental health-related tweets associated with crisis referrals
Violence Against Women and Girls in transnational perspective in Rio de Janeiro and London

Examining localised and transnational dynamics of violence against women and girls in Brazil and the UK.

Project status: Ongoing

_DSC0102
Latin American Security Research Group

The Latin American Security Research Group (LAS) gathers experts working on international relations, defence and security in Latin America.

VEMHeroImage
Intersectional Gendered Violence

The project looks at sexual harassment against and among young people, resistance & activism among migrant women and conflict-related gendered trauma and pain.

Project status: Ongoing

Arts and conflict hub page
Arts & Conflict Hub

The Arts & Conflicts hub uses artistic mediums to communicate, teach and research the complexities of conflict

News

ESRC Methods grant for innovative projects analysing the experience of gendered violence

The Visual and Embodied Methodologies (VEM) Network at King’s has secured funding for projects on sexual harassment, conflict-related gendered trauma,...

Image showing the logo for the Visual Embodied Methodologies network

Brazilian migrant women tell their story of working as delivery drivers in London

A new exhibition of photographs taken by the women is part of a larger project on transnational gendered violence, led by King’s researcher Professor Cathy...

Poster of photo exhibition titled 'Who's behind your order?' with a selfie of a Brazilian migrant women in her gear as a delivery driver.

King's academics to share research insights at pubs, cafés at the Pint of Science festival

Teams from across King’s are delivering talks, demonstrations and live experiments at the renowned public science festival.

Geography staff presenting at a Pint of Science event

New book explores women's inspirational strategies for tackling growing gender-based violence

Cathy McIlwaine, Vice Dean Research, SSPP and Professor of Geography, and Jelke Boesten, Associate Dean (Doctoral Studies) SSPP and Professor in Gender and...

Women Resisting Violence podcast logo

SSPP launches new fellowship scheme to encourage global collaborations

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy (SSPP) has launched a Global Visiting Fellowship Scheme for scholars in low- and middle-income countries.

map of the world and abstract lines showing connections

SSPP celebrates impactful research across the faculty

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy recently held its first Impact Awards to recognise and celebrate activity that has had a positive impact on...

SSPP impact awards 2022 winners

IWD 2022: Women leading the way within SSPP

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy has its research endeavour entirely led by women and four women academics from the faculty have just been...

SSPP's title and a montage of images relevant to the faculty's teaching and research

International Women's Day 2022: #BreakTheBias

International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and also marks a call to action for accelerating...

TM IWD Break the Bias.NEW

The effects of gender inequality across the world

New podcast episode looks at how gender bias, gendered violence and gender pay gaps are affecting women and wider society

image of a protest march over women's rights

Women Resisting Violence – King's launches new podcast series

King’s academics, in collaboration with the Latin America Bureau, launch a new three-part podcast series which hears the extraordinary experiences of women...

Women Resisting Violence podcast logo

Events

06Nov

Creating Collective Care - film screening & creative workshops with Migrants in Action

Special screenings and creative workshops exploring collective care - part of Festival of Social Science

Please note: this event has passed.

18Sep

Book launch: Gendered Urban Violence among Brazilians

Learn how creative engagements are crucial for understanding and resisting gendered urban violence and generating empathetic change.

Please note: this event has passed.

28Nov

Women Resisting Violence Book Launch

Authors and collaborators on the new book will discuss women's widespread creative responses to gender-based violence.

Please note: this event has passed.

03May

Exhibition: Dignity & Resistance

This exhibition and ancillary events explore community pathways for resisting gendered urban violence in Rio de Janeiro and London. The exhibition draws on...

Please note: this event has passed.

17Feb

Creative and research responses to building resistance against gender-based violence in Rio de Janeiro and London

Join this Roundtable with Cathy Mcllwaine to discuss Creative and Research responses to building resistance against Gender-Based Violence in Rio de Janeiro...

Please note: this event has passed.

27Jan

Listening to Women Resisting Violence

At this online roundtable discussion, we present the Women Resisting Violence podcast project. The roundtable will specifically focus on the podcast as a...

Please note: this event has passed.

08Jun

Ethics and Creative Research Methods

A Visual Embodied Methodologies workshop series event with Jelke Boesten, Rachel Kerr, Cathy McIlwaine and Svetlana Sequeira Costa

Please note: this event has passed.

01Mar

Visualising the Margins: Gendered Perspectives exhibition

This exhibition presents the (audio)visual work of seven women academics at different stages of their career at King’s College London.

Please note: this event has passed.

Features

Women resisting violence: capturing their voices through research and community engagement

For this year's 16 Days of Activism, we speak to Cathy McIllwaine about women resisting violence.

16-days-in-focus-hero

IWD2021: Women's leadership and gender equality in academia

Professor Cathy McIlwaine, Vice Dean for Research for the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, on the challenges faced by women in academia, promoting...

Credit: UN Women/Yihui Yuan.

Geography's 'Best Undergraduate Dissertation' award winner reflects on her journey

Geography graduate Rachel Wibberley won the department's 'Best Undergraduate Dissertation'. Here she reflects on her undergraduate journey and the process of...

Rachel Wibberly UG award

Meet our SSPP research grant winners

Find out about some of the research projects underway across the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

books and lights hero 1903

Women in favelas are the backbone of responses to the coronavirus crisis in Rio de Janeiro

Favela communities have been severely affected by the coronavirus crisis intensifying existing inequalities

Feminist-perspectives-banner

Women in favelas step up during inadequate COVID-19 government response

Despite adversity, women of the 'slums' of Rio de Janeiro are picking up the slack in an effort to support and protect their communities.

Woman sewing mask in Rio de Janeiro, credit Casa das Mulheres

Living in fear during the COVID-19 crisis: migrant women with insecure immigration status and domestic violence

Migrant women facing gender-based violence and insecure immigration status face exacerbated gender inequalities due to the current pandemic.

violence women 1903 558

Understanding the impacts on society of COVID-19

How the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy is helping us understand the huge societal shifts created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

empty stores hero sized