Leandra Bias, Ph.D.
leandra.bias@swisspeace.ch
Gender Advisor & Senior Researcher
University of Basel
Year of PhD: 2020
Country: Switzerland
About Me:
In my DPhil in Politics at the University of Oxford, I researched the connection between anti-gender backlash and authoritarianism and how it shrinks the space of feminist civil society, nationally and transnationally. I specialise in post-communist Europe with a particular focus on contemporary Russia and Serbia. Part of my research has been published in Women's Studies International Forum. I joined the peace institute swisspeace as a gender advisor and senior researcher. My research focuses on the concerted attack by authoritarian regimes on International norms of gender equality and the conflict risk this poses. As an advisor I conduct applied research projects and develop policies for feminist transformations of conflict. I am also swisspeace's co-editor for the "Working Papers", a journal that bridges the gap between theory and practice of peace and conflict resolution. At Oxford, I extensively taught a wide subject range from Politics of Russia to Qualitative Research Methods for the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy. I am currently teaching my own postgraduate seminar on Authoritarianism in Post-communist Europe at the University of Basel.Thanks to my background in journalism I know how to communicate scholarly expertise in an accesible manner and regularly do so in media and other oublic formats. I also hold an MPhil in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Oxford as well as a BA in International Relations from the University of Geneva.
Research Interests
Authoritarianism
Antifeminist Movements
Transnational Feminism
Gender-Based Violence
Gender And War
Qualitative Research Design
Post-Communist Politics
Eastern Europe
The Balkans
Countries of Interest
Russia
Serbia
Switzerland
My Research:
My doctoral research was situated at the intersection between comparative politics, international relations and political theory. Based on the example of contemporary Russia and Serbia, my thesis challenged the well-established notion that transnational feminism always entails negative power relations that lead to practices of "othering". Demonstrating the intimate connection between anti-gender backlash at home and authoritarianism, I argued that with rising illiberalism, domestic power relations have become much more salient for feminists on the ground. Drawing from post-Marxist disourse analysis, I investigated how they reframe transnationalism in a way that goes beyond the West/East lens in order to protect their discursive practices from being hi-jacked by the anti-Western public discourse.In my role as advisor at swisspeace, I conduct policy-relevant research, the bedrock of which are twofold. On the one hand, I apply a care lens on women's participation in political and peace processes to highlight their existing participation and how it is systematically silenced akin to women's unpaid labour in peaceful contexts. On the other hand, I investigate the interaction between masculinities and conflict, showing how men can be obstructers to gender programming, where their vulnerabilities to recruitment and engagement with violence lies as well as how male-directed sexual violence manifests.
Publications:
Journal Articles:
This paper argues that NGOisation is a structural factor that fundamentally altered the field of feminist activism in Serbia during the 1990s so that new members of NGOs faced established hierarchies that favoured the older generation. Drawing on 14 in-depth interviews with young Serbian feminists from five key organisations, I conducted a narrative analysis that unearthed three main viewpoints. First, there is a perception that NGOisation makes “failing solidarity” possible – in relation both to other organisations and to younger members of the same NGO – but does not prescribe it. The ultimate culprit is therefore seen to be the older generation and leads to self-exclusion from activism, or at least a partial withdrawal. The second viewpoint takes a more understanding stance. The older generation's unwillingness to give younger feminists more space is regarded not as a choice but as a logical outcome of NGOisation. These younger feminists are neither disappointed nor angry, but they draw the conclusion that feminist activism needs to change. They therefore turn to a grassroots festival that gives them the sense of equality and ownership they need. Finally, there are also young feminists for whom neither NGOisation nor the generational divide are an issue. Their narrative suggests that there can be an absence of divisions as long as young feminists embrace the role of learners who strictly follow the line of their leader. Overall, this research shows the contribution NGOisation theory can make to generational analysis. It further highlights for the first time that generational divides exist within Serbian activism, but that they are not necessarily connected to NGOisation, and that there are also alternatives.
Media Appearances:
TV Appearances:
Analysis of the women's strike in Switzerland, the biggest protest the country has seen in its recent history.
Radio Appearances:
25min interview on the Duma elections in Russia
Analysis of Belarusian protests, in particular the likelihood of a Russian military intervention.
Newspaper Quotes:
Interview on the protests in Belarus, in particular women's roles in it and the risks this entails as well as the response of the international community and lack thereof.
Assessment of whether the protest in Belarus should be considered feminized or feminist
Interview on women's equality and the women's strike in Switzerland
Blog Posts:
Analysis of the fight against domestic violence during public protests in Belarus.
Analysis of the patriarchal backlash against the Istanbul Convention
Other:
Feminist analysis of Russia's controversial partcipation at the Eurovision
Analysis of the targeted attack on gender studies in Russia
Opinion editorial on the anti-terror debate in Europe and how women's rights are manipulated for anti-Muslim speech.
Analysis of the problematic combination of UNSCR 1325 and prevention of "violent extremism" and why this has so far rather further reified, rather than challenged prevailing gender stereotypes.
Analysis of the key role women have played in the revolution, threatening to oust Lukashenko in Belarus, and how they did so not despite, but thanks to, gender stereotypes.
Analysis of the absurdity of the UK having to participate in the European parliamentarian elections in the middle of leaving the EU
Analysis of the newly established Women's Equality Party in the UK
Analysis of Russia's shrinking academic freedom with particular focus on gender studies.