The Feminist Files

In this episode, TCS podcaster Rose Papadopoulos-Hedden speaks to Izzy Wilkinson and Edie Levine, co-presidents of The King’s Bunker, a bi-annual club event held at King’s College, Cambridge. They discuss its revival after a period of closure, and their team's efforts to make it a safe and inclusive space for the queer community. They also discuss the challenges of running student-led events within a college setting, the importance of accessibility and creative expression, and the power of music and dance to bring people together. Follow the event’s Instagram @the.kings.bunker for information on future events, or to get in touch if you have any stories of your own involvement in the space, which used to exist under the name of the King’s Cellars!The King’s Bunker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.kings.bunker/ For more from Rose, you can listen to her radio show ‘Odyssey with Rose’ on CamFM 97.2 / www.camfm.co.uk / Instagram @odysseywithroseWant to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via the form on our website:https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/podcastsYou can also find us on Instagram: @thecambridgestudentCover design by Yuki HolleyMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to Episode 2 of Feminist Files, the new collaborative series between TCS Podcast and WomCam! In this episode, Helena Kondak and Astrid Healy-Carrasco interview Victoire Tuaillon about pseudo-neutrality in the media, why she focuses on masculinity in her feminist activism, and how we can tackle the "crisis of masculinity". Tuaillon is a French journalist and feminist author, known for her podcast Les Couilles sur la table, which deconstructs masculinity from a feminist perspective.Tuaillon's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xk078ZrBB5X75zQzHEHRN?si=78935b4117f745beWomCam on Instagram: @cambridgewomcamPhoenix Collective on Instagram: @collective.phoenixWant to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via the form on our website:https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/podcastsYou can also find us on Instagram: @thecambridgestudentCover design by Yuki HolleyMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Feminist Files, the new collaborative series between TCS Podcast and WomCam! In this episode, Helena Kondak and Astrid Healy-Carrasco interview Ruby Iverson, Tia-Renee Mullings and Katiann Barros Rocha.'To briefly explain what this podcast is, you might have already heard our pilot where members of the WomCam committee presented their summer feminist piece of literature, and today we'll be talking about feminism and intersectionality in the theatre scene in Cambridge and beyond. This podcast aims to provide a platform for the Cambridge feminist scene, to debate ideas, but also to showcase how feminist is more than an ideology, a means to an end, but a practical lived experience.' - The Feminist Files teamOur Town Needs a Nando's by Samantha O'Rourke is at the ADC Theatre from 29th October-2nd November: https://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/play/our-town-needs-a-nandos/WomCam on Instagram: @cambridgewomcamPhoenix Collective on Instagram: @collective.phoenixWant to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via the form on our website:https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/podcastsYou can also find us on Instagram: @thecambridgestudentCover design by Yuki HolleyMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of this season, TCS Podcast Producer Erica Lees-Smith dives into the world of AI in conversation with Annissa La Touche, Cambridge Geography graduate, and Alva Markelius, PhD student and founder of the Cambridge University AI Ethics Society. They discuss the rapidly expanding technology's repercussions on society for young people, human rights, systemic injustices and the environment. This episode was inspired by a TCS article by Annissa published in July which you can read here: https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/opinion/ai-and-human-rights-reflections-on-expert-panels-stands-against-palantir-and-the-utilisation-of-ai-in-genocideContent warning: this episode briefly mentions self-harmSourcesDefinitions of AI - https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligenceHistory of AI - https://www.scottishai.com/news/the-history-of-ai#:~:text=Artificial%20Intelligence%20(AI)%20may%20seem,foundations%20going%20back%20even%20furtherAlva's paper, 'The mechanisms of AI hype and its planetary and social costs' https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-024-00461-2 Cambridge University AI Ethics Society: @cambridgeaiethics (Instagram)Amnesty International's Stop Killer Robots campaign: https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/stop-killer-robots-x-amnesty-international/Want to respond to something said in this episode? Or propose an episode of your own? Get in touch via the form on our website: https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/podcastsYou can also find us on Instagram: @thecambridgestudentCover design by Yuki HolleyMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TCS Podcaster Lara Zand speaks to Kasia Pendlebury about funding a year abroad following Brexit.TCS Culture Co-Editor Matilda Sidel reads from her now published series, linking chivalric romance with her favourite music of the 1980s. Matilda's articles can be found here: https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk/culture/the-chivalric-romance-of-the-1980s If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review, please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website.Thank you for your support and to those of you who have shared and reviewed our content over the last term! Keep your eyes peeled for fresh future content from TCS. Cover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.Intro music by Lior Solomons-Wise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Izzie Pyle, Audio-Visual team member, speaks to Dr Farhana Rahman about the Rohingya refugee crisis focusing on the experiences of women. Dr Rahman is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and Isaac Newton Trust Fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge, as well as a Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College Cambridge. Dr Rahman's upcoming book will focus on how the the gendered subjectivities and lived experiences of Rohingya refugee women. Dr Rahman is also co-founder of Silkpath Relief Organization, a non-profit providing humanitarian assistance to individuals devastated by calamities. Found here: silkpathrelief.orgIf you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review then please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website (https://www.thecambridgestudent.co.uk).Cover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.Intro music by Lior Solomons-Wise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TCS Podcaster Lara Zand speaks to Polly Haythornthwaite about her new shows on Cam FM. TCS Audio-Visual Editor Madeleine Anderson speaks to new columnist Kitty Ford about her latest piece on queerness in Cambridge. Lara then speaks to Leanne Tyme about facing post-Brexit complications on her year abroad in Spain. Finally, Bella Cross shares her latest TCS article on working-class participation in the arts.To tune into Polly's shows on Cam FM:The pH scale on Wednesdays at 10amPolly and Joe's World Tour on Mondays at 12pm.If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review, please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website.Music recommended by Leanne: Sin tiempo by Georgia Izquierdo.Cover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.Intro music by Lior Solomons-Wise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TCS Audio Visual team members Donya Jeyabalasingham and Izzie Pyle speak to Nurses striking at Addenbrooke's Hospital, and discuss the largest RCN strike action to date as the government continues to dismiss efforts to negotiate.If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review then please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram or twitter @tcsnewspaper, or on our website (thecambridgestudent.co.uk). Cover design by Tara ChittmittrapapIntro music by Lior Solomons-Wise Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Culture Co-Editors, Matilda Sidel and Tommy Gilhooly, introduce their latest articles on headphones and the Kings Road. Madeleine Anderson, TCS Audio-Visual Editor, talks to Tilda Butterworth about her disrupted year abroad moving between St Petersburg, Montpellier, and Tbilisi.If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review, please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website.Music recommended by Tilda: Электрический ток - Увула.Cover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.Intro music by Lior Solomons-Wise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our columnist Ralph Jeffreys shares his latest article on the importance of community. Lara Zand, TCS Podcaster, talks to Sofia Johanson about her disrupted year abroad moving between San Sebastián, St Petersburg and Barcelona. Laleh Bergman Hossain (Majlis President) and Zak Ali (Archives Officer) speak about the Majlis society and its plans for the term.Since recording our interview, the Majlis have pushed their Week 4 event back to Week 5. You can find more information and updates on Instagram @thecambridgemajlis.If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review, please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website.Music recommended by Sofia: Calle Bailén, The Free Fall BandCover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.Intro music by Lior Solomons-Wise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lily Isaacs, Bella Cross and Astrid Brodén interview students and teachers on 'Walkout Wednesday,' the biggest day of industrial action in Britain in a decade.If you have any questions relating to this episode, or want to recommend something for discussion or review then please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on our Instagram or twitter @tcsnewspaper, or on our website (thecambridgestudent.co.uk).  Cover design by Tara ChittmittrapapIntro music by Lior Solomons-Wise Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Cambridge Student Podcasts!As part of the TCS relaunch we’ll be giving you brand-new audio content, producing regular podcasts which take a further look at our most recent print and digital articles. We’ll also be bringing you new reviews, debates, and interviews - discussing the events, arts, and ideas which shape students across Cambridge.  We’ll be back with more episodes soon, but in the meantime if you have any questions, or want to recommend something for discussion or review then please email us at tcs-audio@cambridgesu.co.uk. You can also find more information on Instagram @tcsnewspaper, on our Facebook writers group, or on our website. Cover design by Tara Chittmittrapap.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Isobelle Oppon is joined by Dr Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist and research lead at Fully Human whose work and research focuses on reducing abuse, trauma and sexual exploitation. The Feminist Files also welcomes back Ella Perkin and Sam McQuaker from the Cambridge society, Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE). We discuss the problematic rhetorics of sex positivity that obscure coercion, and the psychological effects of sexual exploitation, in particular the notion of shame. We also talk about the upcoming CASE conference which will be held on the 7th of April and Ella and Sam’s motivations and goals related to the event. Cambridge Women’s Aid: 01223 361214 or via email at outreach@cambridgewa.org.uk Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre: 01223 245 888 or via support@cambridgerapecrisis.co.uk Rape Crisis England and Wales, Rape and Sexual Abuse 24/7 support line: 0808 500 2222Elly Hanson’s work and the three essays she mentions:https://fullyhuman.org.ukThe upcoming (free) CASE conference:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/case-conference-breaking-the-silence-tickets-1981565733451?aff=oddtdtcreatorScrub the Stigma:https://www.scrubthestigma.comNaked Truth Project:https://nakedtruthproject.com/get-educated/Episode edited by Rowan Berkley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, “Iran : Roots of Resistance”, Asha Metcalfe and Astrid Healy Carrasco are joined by Iranian activist Zolal Habibi to discuss the current state of Iranian resistance politics and its generational heritage.Given current military and political developments, the episode starts with much-needed context from Zolal, but also with insights into the current Iranian resistance movement. She details exactly how it differs from previous waves of opposition. She develops her insights on the Iranian culture of resistance, with particular attention given to the women that give life to popular opposition. Looking to the future, Zolal argues against Western interventionism, including in potential support for a return to monarchy. Instead, she highlights the resistance’s 10 point roadmap for a democratic Iran. The Iranian revolution must be fashioned by and for Iranians and their freedom. For any comments or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com or on Instagram : @the_feminist_files_ CreditsHosted by Asha Metcalfe and Astrid Healy CarrascoJoined by Zolal HabibiEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss the socialist origins of International Women’s Day, how it has developed over time, and how it has been co-opted for corporate gain today. Exploring examples of pink washing and virtue signalling, we interrogate what ‘International Women’s Day’ really means for us today. Acknowledging the ongoing institutional inequality experienced by women, we reflect upon how we can feel hope for the future in our own lives. We explore how feminist inspiration is found through art, friendships and everyday conversations. https://substack.com/home/post/p-189983269 “Why IWD needs a complete rethink”https://shapetalent.com/glass-ceilings-and-sticky-floors-why-women-are-overworked-and-undervalued/ “Glass ceilings and sticky floors - why women are overworked and undervalued”https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/08/womens-protest-sparked-russian-revolution-international-womens-day Socialist History of IWD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Asha Metcalfe and Rosie Hillary are joined by Eilis Boden and Jess Martins to discuss what it is like to be a woman in the creative industries. We investigate stereotypes imposed upon women, such as ‘women aren’t funny’ and ‘women can’t take a joke’, and unpack the harm caused when those generalisations are internalised. By looking at the comedy scene in and beyond Cambridge, we explore the way in which the male experience being regarded as universal impacts how and when women are ‘allowed’ to be funny. We also turn to the music industry, thinking about how songwriting can act as a form of emotional processing, and discuss why female ‘pop icons’ often face stigma for displaying vulnerability. Interrogating the concept of the ‘internalised male gaze’, we ask how societal perception shapes the way these women view their work and their place in the creative industries?Go watch Eilis in her upcoming shows!11th-13th March - Four Sketches and a Funeral https://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/comedy/four-sketches-and-a-funeral/ 19th-21st March - Rushed Hour https://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/comedy/rushed-hour/ Listen to Jess Martins on Spotify here… https://open.spotify.com/artist/4AqSqzn0lwECIcgbXSKyyJ … and keep up with her new releases on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/jesssmartinsss Follow the Feminist Files on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_ Follow the Feminist Files on Substack: https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles Episode edited by Rowan Berkley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faith Cunningham speaks with Kwaku Adomako about heteronationalism, colonialism and Ghana's 2021 "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill." They discuss how anti-LGBTQ+ legislation reshapes Ghanaian cultural identity and the role of political actors in framing sexual and gender diversity as a national threat. NOTE: The NDC should be referred to as the National Democratic Congress. Read Kwaku's work:Adomako, K. (2022). An Overwhelming Consensus? How Moral Panics About Sexual and Gender Diversity Help Reshape Local Traditions in Ghana. Politique africaine, 168(4), 75-94. https://doi.org/10.3917/polaf.168.0075 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Helena Kondak is joined by Professor Shazia Choudhry (University of Oxford) to discuss her two-year comparative European research project on how justice systems and family law deal with domestic abuse cases. Drawing on extensive work with women’s rights organisations and key stakeholders across England & Wales, France, Spain, Italy, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, the research exposes how survivors often face secondary traumatisation within legally sanctioned processes.We unpack how narrow legal understandings of violence, procedural barriers, and the growing reliance on concepts like “parental alienation” systematically discredit mothers and silence survivors, even where abuse is well-documented. Placing family law in conversation with human rights obligations under the ECHR and the Istanbul Convention, this episode asks what states are required to do to truly protect women and children, and why current systems can fail to do so.*Get in touch with us : For any responses, comments, or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com, or on Instagram @the_feminist_files_ *CreditsHosted by Helena KondakJoined by Professor Shazia ChoudhryEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Helena Kondak, Astrid Carrasco and Isobelle Oppon interview Dr Daisy Dixon, philosophy professor at the University of Cardiff, for insights on her embodied experience of AI assault.  What does the Grok sexual image generation scandal say of emerging digital violence, its impact on vulnerable bodies, and necessary legislation? Analysing the onset of Grok AI image-generation in recent weeks, Dr Dixon grounds her interpretation of new tech, sexist and sexual violence in the philosophical concept of “aesthetic injustice”. Dr Dixon insists on understanding the physical impacts produced by images, inducing new forms of digital age dysphoria. From concepts to law, this episode dissects how new digital laws are debated, from accusations of restricting free speech to concerns about weak law implementation.  References:Klein and D’Ignazio, Data feminism, 2024Bates, Laura, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, 2025. Dalaqua, Gustavo H. “Aesthetic injustice.” Journal of Aesthetics & Culture 12.1 (2020). Dixon, Daisy, and Tom Roberts. “Review of Dominic McIver Lopes: Aesthetic Injustice.” Ethics (2026).*Get in touch with us : For any responses, comments, or suggestions, please get in touch via thefeministfiles2025@gmail.com, or on Instagram @the_feminist_files_ *CreditsHosted by Helena Kondak, Astrid Carrasco & Isobelle OpponJoined by Dr Daisy DixonEdited by Rowan BerkleyCover design by Madeleine BaberMusic by Jacob Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Asha Metcalfe and Rosie Hillary sit down with Lauren Sayers and Rosie Freeman after the debate: This House Would Abolish Prisons, held by Gender Agenda, the University of Cambridge’s largest feminist collective. In our first episode out in the field (breaking free from the recording studio), we are joined by two fellow Human, Social, and Political Science students to discuss abolitionism, crime, and systems of power and oppression. We move beyond the prison system to discuss theorists like Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, and Max Weber to explore the ways power and surveillance can be theorised in society. We apply these theories to our lives to examine how relationships and institutions are impacted by systems of power and control. What do we gain from understanding these topics? What is the benefit of social critique? If you are interested in our discussion, consider reading:The Right to Sex by Amia SrinivasanExperiments in Imagining Otherwise by Lola OlufemiThe New Spirit of Capitalism by Luc Boltanski and Ève ChiapelloDecolonial Feminism in Anya Yala: Caribbean, Meso, and Southern American Contributions and Challenges by Espinosa, Lugones and Maldonado Torres - particularly the chapter by Iris Hernandez MoralesIf you enjoyed this episode, please follow us on Instagram and Substack!https://www.instagram.com/the_feminist_files_/https://substack.com/@thefeministfiles  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.