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Professor Cathy McIlwaine
Professor 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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    28NovWomen Resisting Violence podcast logo

    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.

    03MayExhibition Dignity and Resistance 2 LARGE

    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.

    17FebBrazil week 2022

    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.

    27JanWomen Resisting Violence podcast logo

    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.

    08JunVEM Thumbnail

    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.

    01MarVisualising the Margins: Gendered Perspectives exhibition

    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

      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

      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

      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

      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

      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

      28NovWomen Resisting Violence podcast logo

      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.

      03MayExhibition Dignity and Resistance 2 LARGE

      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.

      17FebBrazil week 2022

      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.

      27JanWomen Resisting Violence podcast logo

      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.

      08JunVEM Thumbnail

      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.

      01MarVisualising the Margins: Gendered Perspectives exhibition

      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