

A History of Women in International Thought | Patricia Owens with Javier Mejia
Sep 6, 2025
Patricia Owens, a Professor at the University of Oxford and author of 'Erased: A History of International Thought Without Men', sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of women in the field of International Relations. She discusses how women have been instrumental in shaping international thought since the early 20th century, despite facing systemic marginalization. Joined by Javier Mejia, they explore the legacies of women at institutions like Chatham House and argue for a more inclusive understanding of the discipline that acknowledges diverse perspectives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Why Women Shaped Early IR
- Early international relations grew as a new interdisciplinary field at the same time women entered higher education and internationalist movements.
- That intellectual openness let many women historians and classicists shape IR's early contours in Britain.
1950s Reframe That Erased Empire
- 1950s boundary drawing redefined IR around a theory of the 'society of states' that implicitly meant white European states.
- This redefinition erased empire-focused topics and many women who wrote on colonial administration and empire.
Canon Building Was A Political Act
- The IR canon formed in the Cold War framed 'great topics' as war, power, peace, and security while excluding empire and race.
- Canon formation was a political act that legitimized a narrow, mostly white male lineage of thinkers.