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Jelke Boesten

Professor Jelke Boesten

Vice Dean (Research), interim, SSPP

  • Professor in Gender and Development

Research interests

  • Equality
  • International development
  • Policy
  • Politics

Biography

Jelke has an MA in History and a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Amsterdam. Prior to joining King’s, she held a research position at the University of Bradford, Departments of International Development (2004-06) and Peace Studies (2006-07), and a lectureship at the University of Leeds in Politics and International Studies (2007-2013).

In 2011-12, she held a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellowship at the US Institute of Peace, Washington DC. She was offered an Alberto Flores Galindo Visiting Professorship, Pontifícia Universidad Católica del Perú, for 2021, and a Visiting Fellowship at the Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA) in Amsterdam.

Over the years, Jelke has looked at different aspects of violence against women in war and in peace, social policy and transitional justice, and persistent intersecting inequalities, particularly in Peru. 

At King’s, she founded and convenes the Gender Studies Network as well as co-convenes the Visual and Embodied Methodologies (VEM) network. The most recent project coming out of VEM is the exploratory and collaborative arts-based research project called Imaging Social Justice.  

Research

Jelke’s current research focuses on transformative gender justice in post conflict societies – the idea that interventions to address gendered injustice, such as violence against women and girls, should aim to transform the social, political and economic relations that underpin the possibility of violence.

She worked on a collaborative project exploring the transformative potential of memorial arts and symbolic reparation.

Currently, she is working on a research project with Peruvian veterans of the Internal Armed Conflict (1980-2000). The project seeks to understand veterans’ perspectives on perpetrating gendered violence in and beyond armed conflict, funded by the British Academy. The project has co-produced some extraordinary images -paintings that reflect the narratives of ex-combatants.

Teaching

PhD supervision

Jelke is interested in supervising students focusing on the following research areas:

  • Gender and social policy
  • Gender based violence in war and/or the everyday
  • Intersecting inequalities
  • Gender and transformative justice
  • Social development and emancipatory processes

See the full list of Jelke's current and existing PhD students

Further details

See Jelke's research profile

    Research

    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..

    Status not set
    urban geography
    Social Justice research group

    Identifying the societal impacts of rapid economic and technological change, as well as the societal impacts of intensified engagement in global networks and mobilities.

    Status not set
    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.

    Status not set
    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

    New book throws light on military culture that enabled sexual violence in Peru

    The book, co-authored by Professor Jelke Boesten, explores the experiences of army veterans during the internal conflict in Peru.

    Book cover of 'Dogs and Mates' by Professor Jelke Boesten and Dr Lurgio Gavilán

    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

    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

    Visualising the margins through visual, embodied and arts-based methodologies

    The recent 'Visualising the margins' exhibition saw the launch of the Visual, Embodied, and Arts-based Methodologies (VEM) network.

    Visualising the margins: Gendered perspectives' exhibition at King's College London

    Events

    20AprInternational Women's Day 3

    Looking for common grounds to understand and address obstetric violence from health practitioners and women´s perspective

    Focussing upon Peru, this seminar will identify contexts and practices that health professionals recognize as problematic or questionable, and therefore...

    Please note: this event has passed.

    14OctIran protest for Mahsa Amini

    Iran Protests 2022: a feminist uprising?

    Experts discuss the protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody over "improper dress".

    Please note: this event has passed.

    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.

    14FebGender Studies logo

    Black Box: the myth of the 'mysterious' female (reproductive) body

    Sally King, Global Health and Social Medicine PhD candidate, discusses her research into biomedical, critical (feminist) and patient descriptions of PMS.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    28MarGender Studies logo

    Book launch: Sexual Revolution. Modern Fascism and the Feminist Fightback

    Laurie Penny presents her new book: Sexual Revolution. Modern Fascism and the Feminist Fightback, coming out this year with Bloomsbury.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    16MayGender Studies logo

    Vernacular rights cultures: The politics of origins, human rights and gendered struggle for justice

    Join us for this talk about the book 'Vernacular Rights Cultures: The Politics of Origins, Human Rights and Gendered Struggle for Justice' with author,...

    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.

    24MarCOVID-19 temp check Africa

    Covid and Development: a roundtable discussion with members of the Department of International Development

    'What has Covid revealed? And what will it result in?', with a focus on various Global South contexts.

    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

    What does the use of rape in Ukraine tell us about sexual violence in wartime and in peace?

    JELKE BOESTEN: Sexual violence is widespread in society and exists in a continuum between war and peace.

    sexual violence protest re Ukraine war 1903 558

    Rethinking Home

    The Pandemic has forced a re-examination of the home as a ‘safe place’.

    Rethinking Home - Jelke Boesten - Background

      Research

      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..

      Status not set
      urban geography
      Social Justice research group

      Identifying the societal impacts of rapid economic and technological change, as well as the societal impacts of intensified engagement in global networks and mobilities.

      Status not set
      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.

      Status not set
      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

      New book throws light on military culture that enabled sexual violence in Peru

      The book, co-authored by Professor Jelke Boesten, explores the experiences of army veterans during the internal conflict in Peru.

      Book cover of 'Dogs and Mates' by Professor Jelke Boesten and Dr Lurgio Gavilán

      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

      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

      Visualising the margins through visual, embodied and arts-based methodologies

      The recent 'Visualising the margins' exhibition saw the launch of the Visual, Embodied, and Arts-based Methodologies (VEM) network.

      Visualising the margins: Gendered perspectives' exhibition at King's College London

      Events

      20AprInternational Women's Day 3

      Looking for common grounds to understand and address obstetric violence from health practitioners and women´s perspective

      Focussing upon Peru, this seminar will identify contexts and practices that health professionals recognize as problematic or questionable, and therefore...

      Please note: this event has passed.

      14OctIran protest for Mahsa Amini

      Iran Protests 2022: a feminist uprising?

      Experts discuss the protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody over "improper dress".

      Please note: this event has passed.

      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.

      14FebGender Studies logo

      Black Box: the myth of the 'mysterious' female (reproductive) body

      Sally King, Global Health and Social Medicine PhD candidate, discusses her research into biomedical, critical (feminist) and patient descriptions of PMS.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      28MarGender Studies logo

      Book launch: Sexual Revolution. Modern Fascism and the Feminist Fightback

      Laurie Penny presents her new book: Sexual Revolution. Modern Fascism and the Feminist Fightback, coming out this year with Bloomsbury.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      16MayGender Studies logo

      Vernacular rights cultures: The politics of origins, human rights and gendered struggle for justice

      Join us for this talk about the book 'Vernacular Rights Cultures: The Politics of Origins, Human Rights and Gendered Struggle for Justice' with author,...

      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.

      24MarCOVID-19 temp check Africa

      Covid and Development: a roundtable discussion with members of the Department of International Development

      'What has Covid revealed? And what will it result in?', with a focus on various Global South contexts.

      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

      What does the use of rape in Ukraine tell us about sexual violence in wartime and in peace?

      JELKE BOESTEN: Sexual violence is widespread in society and exists in a continuum between war and peace.

      sexual violence protest re Ukraine war 1903 558

      Rethinking Home

      The Pandemic has forced a re-examination of the home as a ‘safe place’.

      Rethinking Home - Jelke Boesten - Background