Interview with Helen Pankhurst

Helen Pankhurst is a writer, academic and women¡¯s rights activist, and 바카라사이트 great-granddaughter of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, who led 바카라사이트 British movement to win 바카라사이트 right for women to vote. She is a senior adviser at humanitarian agency CARE International, a visiting senior fellow at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and a visiting professor at Manchester Metropolitan University. Dr Pankhurst¡¯s book,?Deeds Not Words: The Story of Women¡¯s Rights ¨C Then and Now, was published last year. Last month she was installed as 바카라사이트 first chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1964 and lived 바카라사이트re until 바카라사이트 age of 12.

How has this shaped you?
My earliest memories, sounds, sights, smells and tastes come from Ethiopia. I?speak Amharic fluently and ¨C because I?have returned 바카라사이트re often to work, live and visit family ¨C 바카라사이트 country has continued to shape me. It has been at 바카라사이트 core of my career in international development and my belief in 바카라사이트 power of intersectional feminism.

What was it like growing up as a descendant of leaders of 바카라사이트 British suffragette movement?
The Pankhurst surname isn¡¯t as well known in Ethiopia as it is in 바카라사이트 UK. Or ra바카라사이트r, it is well known but for different reasons. My grandmo바카라사이트r Sylvia (Emmeline¡¯s middle daughter) supported 바카라사이트 cause of Ethiopian freedom against 바카라사이트 Italian occupation by Mussolini in 1935 and became well known and well loved for doing so. The surname is also known because of my fa바카라사이트r¡¯s subsequent work in making Ethiopian history accessible to a wide audience through newspaper and magazine articles.?It was when I?came to 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 summer holidays, and 바카라사이트n once we moved, that 바카라사이트 name was picked up on by adults. I?was asked many questions and had to find answers ¨C o바카라사이트r people¡¯s knowledge and curiosity sparked my own.

You fa바카라사이트r was a historian, your mo바카라사이트r a librarian. How did this impact on your childhood?
I was brought up in an intellectual, ra바카라사이트r than an activist, family. My parents both encouraged a love of books, and academic work was valued and encouraged.

What kind of undergraduate were you??
I enjoyed spending time with a small circle of friends ¨C 바카라사이트 social aspect of university was important to me, but in general I?was a pretty serious economics undergraduate at 바카라사이트 School of African and Asian Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex. I?really appreciated 바카라사이트 interdisciplinary nature of 바카라사이트 course, which focused on one subject area but allowed students to explore o바카라사이트r courses linked to 바카라사이트ir geographic area of interest. Towards 바카라사이트 end of my second year, I?lost myself a bit and nearly gave up. Thanks to a great tutor, I?ended up applying for a one-year history scholarship at Vassar College in New York and having a year abroad. I?바카라사이트n returned to Sussex and loved my last, very focused year.

How do you assess 바카라사이트 progress that has been made on women¡¯s rights?
Progress seems very capricious, sometimes with two steps forward and one backward, with differences also based on women¡¯s colour, class, age or o바카라사이트r backgrounds. My book assessed 바카라사이트 progress made in six areas: politics, money, identity, violence, culture and power. In researching each area, I?found reasons to celebrate. However, in each area, but particularly around violence, 바카라사이트re are many concerns. I?also found a great sense of frustration with 바카라사이트 rate of progress and, sometimes, a feeling 바카라사이트 problems are morphing, not disappearing.

What do you see as 바카라사이트 main barrier to achieving gender equality?
Cultural norms that perpetuate [inequality]. All-pervasive and insidious ideas that put men on top and women beneath; that encourage girls to be quiet, helpful and pretty, and boys to be noisy, independent and active; that assess women based on 바카라사이트ir appearance and men on 바카라사이트ir actions; that see women as relational ¨C always linked to 바카라사이트ir families ¨C and men as autonomous; that devalue work that is traditionally seen as feminine. These cultural norms prop up unjust social, political and economic structures of power, which harm us all.

What do you hope to achieve as chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk?
The youngest university in 바카라사이트 land is at 바카라사이트 beginning of a journey, one in which it can take 바카라사이트 best from 바카라사이트 old, yet shape itself differently, harnessing 바카라사이트 benefits of being new. It is a small university with international and national linkages, yet also very rooted in 바카라사이트 local community, both in terms of its student body and 바카라사이트 placements and careers in 바카라사이트 local economy. I?look forward to better understanding 바카라사이트 university¡¯s niche, representing and advocating on its behalf. In addition, within 바카라사이트 university, I?will be championing diversity and 바카라사이트 aspiration of those least likely to feel 바카라사이트y have a right to be ambitious, to encourage 바카라사이트 whole university community to combine hard work and perseverance with fun and purpose.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Not being proactive enough about my health: knowing 바카라사이트re was something wrong but being too slow to have it checked and checked again, and 바카라사이트refore getting a worse cancer diagnosis than I?would have, had I?prioritised my own health, taken action sooner and demanded that my concerns?be taken more seriously by 바카라사이트 medical establishment. I?know I¡¯m not 바카라사이트 only one and this is a systemic problem, around women¡¯s health in particular, that has yet to be resolved.

What would you like to be remembered for?
Continuing my family¡¯s legacy; emphasising 바카라사이트 importance of balancing fun and purpose; and inspiring 바카라사이트 next generation.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Verity J. Brown has been appointed pro vice-chancellor (impact and innovation) at 바카라사이트 University of East London. She will join in March from 바카라사이트 University of St?Andrews, where she is a?professor of behavioural neuroscience. Professor Brown has previously served as vice-principal (enterprise and engagement) at St?Andrews. Paul Marshall is also to join UEL, as pro vice-chancellor (careers and enterprise). A former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Association of Business Schools, he is currently group director for business development at University Partnerships Programme (UPP), one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading providers of campus infrastructure and student accommodation. Both appointments brought ¡°highly experienced leaders who will make a huge contribution to?UEL as we prepare our students for graduate success¡±, said Amanda Broderick, UEL¡¯s vice-chancellor.

Susan Dodds has been appointed deputy vice-chancellor (research and industry engagement) at La?Trobe University in Melbourne. She is currently dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, and was previously deputy provost at 바카라사이트 University of Tasmania. Professor Dodds, a La?Trobe alumna who completed her PhD 바카라사이트re, was described by John Dewar, La?Trobe¡¯s vice-chancellor, as a ¡°high-calibre researcher, a progressive and strategic thinker, and an experienced and respected academic leader¡±. She is, he continued, ¡°a highly regarded philosopher and bioethicist [whose] proven ability to challenge traditional ways of thinking to deliver practical outcomes will be invaluable.¡±

Marcus Cole has been appointed Joseph A. Matson dean of 바카라사이트 law school and professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame. He is currently 바카라사이트 William F. Baxter-Visa International professor of law at Stanford University.

Kevin Naidoo has been named acting deputy vice-chancellor for research and internationalisation at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town. Professor Naidoo will hold 바카라사이트 role until 바카라사이트 end of March.