ABSTRACT
The role of gender in conflict settings is an area of research which still has much to be understood. Using feminist methodology, this chapter analyzes research on how gender—the full range of sociological categorization ranging from hyper masculinity to hyper femininity—impacts and is impacted by conflict. Going beyond the popular ‘women as victims in conflict’ trope, this chapter explores the motivations, opportunities and limitations which guide women’s activities in conflict settings, allowing for practitioners and academics to understand how women’s experiences in conflict are shaped by gendered assumptions and norms and how to engage in conflict management from a gendered perspective. However, applying a gendered perspective means also considering how gender norms affect men’s experiences during and following conflict, including repercussions of the soldier as hero trope. Further, the chapter interrogates broader structures of power and invisibility in the academy, which often renders invisible not only women but particularly scholars of color and from the Global South.
