DR EMILY COUSENS
Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX
Research and Teaching Fields
Feminist theory, continental philosophy, trans history, queer history, gender studies, sexuality studies, queer theory, transfeminism, phenomenology, feminist philosophy, cultural studies, critical theory, political theory.
Current Employment
2023-present Lecturer in the History of Gender and Sexuality, Birkbeck, University of London
Past Employment
2021-2023 Fellow, LSE100, London School of Economics
2018-2022 Visiting Lecturer in Gender and Sexuality Studies, University of Oxford
2018-2022 Academic and Pastoral Mentor, University of Oxford
2017-2018 Visiting Lecturer in Feminist Philosophy, University of Hertfordshire
2016-2018 Associate Lecturer in Politics, Oxford Brookes University
Education
2015-2019 PhD in Philosophy, Oxford Brookes University
Dissertation: “Vulnerability and the Feminist Politics of Sexual Violence”
Supervisors: Professor Beverley Clack, Dr Victoria Browne, Dr Doerthe Rosenow
Viva: 9.1.2020. Passed (minor corrections)
2013-2014 MSt. in Women’s Studies, Wadham College, University of Oxford
2010-2013 Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University of Oxford
Books
Cousens, E. (2023) Second Wave Trans Feminism: Revisiting Approaches to Sex and Gender. Palgrave Macmillan. New York. Series: Breaking Feminist Waves. Published. Online: Aug 2023. Print: Sept 2023.
Prizes and Awards
2019 Teaching Award from the London School of Economics, selected by Head of Dept
2018 Oxford Brookes Students Union Teaching Award: Diversifying the Curriculum Champion, nominated and voted for by students
2015 Doctoral Research Studentship from Oxford Brookes University
Funding and Grants
2023 LSE conference grant, £500
2022 BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants. £6105,00
2017 Santander, £500
2016 Aristotelian Society Conference Grant. £300
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Cousens, E. (2023). Entering the Archive of Second Wave Trans Feminist Print Culture: The Journal of Male Feminism Gender and History. Forthcoming. [Special Issue: Historicising Trans Pasts]
Cousens, E. (2023). Androgyny in the Archives: 1970s trans and feminist encounters with the promise and politics of non-binary. Graduate History Review. Forthcoming.[Special Issue Trans & Two-Spirit Histories”.
Cousens, E. (2020). Anderson’s Ethical Vulnerability: Animating Feminist Responses to Sexual Violence. Angelaki: Journal of the Theoretical Humanities 25 (1–2), pp.165-180.
Manfredi, S., Clayton-Hathway, K. & Cousens, E. (2019). Increasing Gender Diversity in Higher Education Leadership: The Role of Executive Search Firms. Social Sciences (Basel), 8(6), 168, pp.1-17.
Cousens, E. (2017). Corporeal Vulnerability and the Temporality of Feminist Theory Studies in Social and Political Thought, 27, pp. 40-56.
Submitted
Cousens, E. Virginia Prince, Robert Stoller and the Trans Feminist History of the Sex/Gender Distinction. Submitted to History Workshop Journal. 25.08.23
Cousens, E. & Cetinkaya, H. Feeling Attached to Norms: Beyond Repression and Resistance? An Encounter Between Trans- and Postcolonial Feminist Perspectives. Submitted to Feminist Studies. 28.07.23
In progress
Cousens, E. Ethical and Political Considerations in Consulting Trans Community Print culture as Feminist Theory. To be submitted to Feminist Theory. 15.09.23
In development
Cousens, E. Beyond Bigenderism: Second wave trans feminist conceptualisations of “sexism”. For Signs.
Cousens, E. Heterosexuality without the matrix: Virginia Prince’s Transvestite Philosophy and the “Male Woman”. For Sexualities.
Book Chapters
Cousens, E. (2020) Anderson’s Ethical Vulnerability: Animating Feminist Responses to Sexual Violence. In Love and Vulnerability, Routledge. pp156-180.
Invited Talks
Keynotes
2023 “A trans feminist history of the sex/gender distinction” (lecture). Feminist Thinking Graduate Conference. University of Oxford. Oxford, Oxfordshire.
2022 “Writing the revolution: second wave feminisms in print” (lecture). Subversions conference. University of Oxford. Oxford, Oxfordshire.
2021 “Against Progress Narratives of Second Wave Feminism” (lecture). Body, Space, Voice: Dimensions in Feminism Conference, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire.
Lectures
2022 “Second wave trans feminisms in print” (lecture) University of York Centre for Women’s Studies LGBTQ+ History month speaker series. York. Yorkshire.
2021 “On Curating Feminist Spaces” (lecture). FemThinkDo Launch Event. Online.
Seminars/ workshops/ panels
2022 “Entering the Archive of Second Wave Trans Feminism”. Queer History Conference. San Francisco State University.
2021 Dr Emily Cousens and Levi Hord, in conversation with Judith Butler, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire.
2017 Invited Moderator. New Directions in the History of the Women’s Liberation Movement Conference. All Souls College, University of Oxford. December 2017.
2017 “Feminism and the Intersections of Vulnerability” (presentation). Annual Francis Bacon Lecture. University of Hertforshire. Hatfield. Hertfordshire.
2016 “Corporeal vulnerability and feminist ethics: the rationale and the limits” (paper). Vulnerability and The Politics of Care Workshop, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. Oxfordshire.
Selected Conferences Papers and Workshop Participation
2023 Cousens, E. “The Archive of 1970s Trans Community Print Culture as Second Wave Feminist Theory”. Hypatia’s Promise: Opening the Archives, Charting Feminist Futures. Hypatia 40th Anniversary Conference. University of Oregon. Eugene, Oregon.
2023 Cousens, E. “Trans embodiment as second-wave feminist epistemology”. Talking Bodies Conference. University of Chester.
2023 Cousens, E & Cetinkaya, H. “Feeling attached to norms: beyond repression and resistance? An encounter between trans and postcolonial feminist perspectives” On Relationalities: Politics, Narrative, Sociality CAPPE Symposium. University of Brighton.
2023 Cousens, E. “Behind the Cis Story of Sex and Gender”. Moving Trans History Forward Conference. University of Victoria. Victoria BC. Canada.
2022 Cousens, E. “Entering the Archive of Second Wave Trans Feminism”. Historicising Trans Lives Conference. The University of Sheffield. Online.
2018 Cousens, E. “Sexual Politics as Pedagogy”. The University and The Micro-Dynamics of Institutional Life, University of Essex. Essex, UK.
2016 Cousens, E. “Judith Butler’s Vulnerability/ Resistance: A Feminist Perspective”. 5th International Critical Studies Research Group Conference, University of Brighton. United Kingdom.
2016 Cousens, E. “Precarity, Precariousness and Vulnerability in Judith Butler: An Examination and a Critique”. Precarity: Passion, Rage, Reason. The Society for Women in Philosophy UK Annual Conference, University of Brighton, England, UK.
2016 Cousens, E. “Vulnerability as a basis for political community: the limits”. Second LSE Political Theory Graduate Conference. London. UK.
2015 Cousens, E. “Men as Material Conditions: Marx’s Contribution to Radical Feminism”. Marx and Philosophy Society Annual Conference, University of London, Institute of Education. London. UK.
2015 Cousens, E. “Men as Material Conditions: Exploring the Marxian Influence on Anti-Porn Feminism”. Feminism and Critical Theory Conference, University of Sussex, UK.
2015 Cousens, E. “Freedom and the Subject: Exploring the Constituent parts of a radically positive conception of freedom” Freedom and Autonomy: 18th Graduate Conference in Philosophy, University of Essex. UK.
Peer Reviewer
2023 Gender & History. Article.
2022. Routledge, Sociology. Book Proposal.
Impact and Public Engagement
2020 How fast is too fast: The role of rapid response publishing in covid times. LSE
Secured high profile speakers as initiator and sole-organiser of the first international event exploring the impact of COVID-19 on academic publishing.
2017 Topical Discussion Show The 180, on Canadian Broadcasting Channel (CBC)
I was interviewed as expert on the gendered language of war reporting
2015 The Independent
We need to stop telling ourselves that women and children are the only refugees who matter’. Article used by Prof D.Cohen, Harvard, as part of her Sex, Violence and Global Politics lectures.
Conference and Summer School Organisation
2023 Feminist Print Cultures: Creating Community and Consciousness 1960-2020.
- An invite only, one-day workshop. Participants include: Dr Julie Enszer, Dr Nat Raha, Dr Laura Guy and representatives of small press-publishing.
2016-2020 Founding Director, The London Free School of Applied Critical and Feminist Theory.
- I established a summer school, which charges no fees for students and academics to engage in critical discussion and debate, outside the imperatives of institutionalised academia.
- I secured funding for the week and involvement of high profile academics e.g Prof. Clare Hemmings.
Teaching
GRADUATE TEACHING
2018-2022 Visiting Lecturer, University of Oxford
- Wrote and delivered the universities annual ‘Sexualities’ Lecture (2021, 2022)
- I designed and delivered the graduate option paper: Feminism and Queer Theory (2018-2022)
- I co-convened, co-delivered the core Approaches to Feminist Research MSt. course (2018-2022)
- Curriculum review: Approaches to Feminist Research core course.
- To completion, I have supervised 8 Master’s dissertations and 11 research papers.
- Additional responsibilities: assisting with the assessment of application dossiers.
UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
2021-2023 Fellow, LSE100
- I design and deliver classes on the university’s flagship interdisciplinary undergraduate course, taken by all first years.
- I use pedagogical principles to create an inclusive classroom amongst a large, diverse student body.
- I am involved in course review, and oversaw the successful transition from 1 to 3 LSE100 courses.
- I am enrolled in the PGCert to acquire HEA fellowship and submit my portfolio in December 2022.
2016-2018 Associate Lecturer, Oxford Brookes
- Sex, Gender and Politics Module Lead: I updated the syllabus, created the module handbook and wrote the coursework questions; I set and marked all the assignments for this module. Excellent feedback from the external examiner ; I held office hours in which I provided academic and pastoral support to students
- Other undergraduate teaching (seminars and lectures):Introduction to Politics, Continental Philosophy of Religion, Political Thought 1, Political Thought 2 and Researching International Relations
2017- 2018 Visiting Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire
- Module Lead: Feminist Philosophy: I updated the module guide and corresponding reading list; I independently designed and delivered a 12-week course of lectures and seminars; I was responsible for the setting, correction and assessment of course work and examination scripts, and keeping records of these
SUMMER SCHOOLS
2019-2020 Course Director: Government and Politics LSE CHOICE Summer School
- LSE CHOICE is LSE’s flagship outreach programme
Editorial Appointments
2020- present Member of Editorial Collective, Engenderings, LSE
2020- present Editor, Media@LSE
2020 Managing Editor, LSE Impact Blog
2014 – 2015 Contributing member of the Editorial Collective, Red Pepper Magazine
University Service
2021- present Academic Board Departmental Representative, London School of Economics
2021-2022 Board of Internal Examiners, the University of Oxford
2020 Academic Mentor, Widening Participation, LSE Sprint, London School of Economics
2020 LSE100 Green Impact Officer, London School of Economics
2018- 2022 Member of the MSt. Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies Steering Committee, University of Oxford
2018- 2022 MSt. Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies, Admissions and Applications board, University of Oxford
Emily Cousens 