Seeing gender in Russia's war in Ukraine: a feminist security studies approach Jenny Mathers, University of Aberystwyth

Gender rarely makes it into the headlines about Russia's war in Ukraine but it is nevertheless a constant factor and plays a central role in shaping the major political, economic and military dynamics affecting Russia, Ukraine and Ukraine's international supporters, and the security relationships among them.

Gendered assumptions act as gateways that enable certain courses of action while ruling out others, as well as having a profound impact on the way that leaders, states and societies understand security and act on that understanding.

This presentation will draw on principles of feminist security studies to demonstrate some of the work that gender does in this conflict, including the transformative effect that women's contributions to politics and feminised forms of political action can have and are having.