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Thematic Focus

Each thematic focus inspires research projects, workshops, and events hosted by the Women’s Research Network, ensuring its activities are impactful and relevant.

Gender and Entrepreneurship

Examines how women and men tend to enter different industries, with women often concentrated in sectors like retail, services, and healthcare, and men in technology, finance, and manufacturing. This theme looks at how gender shapes business decisions and opportunities

Investigates how academic leaders (department heads, deans, and university administrators) are developed, trained, and supported, with a focus on the skills and strategies needed to lead in academic settings, balance competing priorities, and drive institutional change.
Focuses on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and adapt to the impacts of climate change. This includes policies, technologies, and practices aimed at limiting global warming and preparing communities for its effects.
Explores the impact of work environments on mental health, including stress, burnout, and anxiety. This theme focuses on creating supportive workplaces that prioritize employees’ psychological well-being through initiatives like mental health resources and employee assistance programs.
Explores the disparities in access to technology, particularly in underserved communities, and how bridging the digital divide can empower individuals, enhance educational opportunities, and promote economic inclusion
Explores how globalization affects cultural identity, examining the tensions between preserving traditional cultures and embracing global influences. This theme looks at cultural homogenization, cultural appropriation, and the evolving dynamics of identity in a globalized world.
Investigates how intersectional frameworks are applied within social movements to advocate for the rights and representation of diverse communities. This theme examines movements like Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, and feminist movements, and how they address the unique struggles of individuals at the intersection of multiple identities.
Focuses on the role of government and institutional policies in supporting women-owned businesses, including initiatives for mentorship, funding programs, and legal frameworks that can either empower or hinder female entrepreneurship.
Focuses on systemic inequalities related to race, gender, class, and sexuality, and the sociopolitical movements aimed at achieving social justice. Topics include access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and efforts to address discrimination and marginalization
Focuses on how gender identity is expressed or restricted within religious practices, ceremonies, and rites of passage. This theme explores the role of religion in constructing or deconstructing traditional notions of masculinity, femininity, and non-binary identities.

This theme explores entrepreneurs’ strategic approaches to navigating competitive markets, scaling their businesses, and achieving long-term sustainability. It examines innovation, market positioning, strategic partnerships, and adaptive business models that enhance resilience and growth in diverse economic contexts.

This theme focuses on the operational challenges and best practices in managing small businesses. It explores key areas such as financial management, resource allocation, leadership, and the impact of digitalisation on enhancing efficiency and business sustainability.

This theme examines the interplay between small-scale entrepreneurial activities and broader economic structures, highlighting how women-led businesses contribute to local and national economies. It explores issues such as access to credit, market dynamics, economic policies, and the impact of global trends on women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

This theme explores feminist perspectives on entrepreneurship, business, and economic development, emphasising gendered power dynamics, systemic inequalities, and alternative models of success. It examines how feminist theories inform research methodologies, policy advocacy, and the redefinition of leadership, innovation, and economic participation for women in diverse cultural and economic contexts.

This theme highlights the value of integrating insights from multiple disciplines – such as business, sociology, economics, technology, and environmental studies – to address complex challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. It encourages cross-sector collaborations and holistic research methodologies that provide deeper, more nuanced understandings of gender, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.

This theme explores the role of women in driving technological advancements and innovation, addressing barriers to participation in digital entrepreneurship, STEM fields, and the tech industry. It examines gender disparities in access to digital tools, the impact of emerging technologies on women-led businesses, and strategies for fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems.

This theme examines the intersection of work, entrepreneurship, and family life, focusing on how women balance business responsibilities with caregiving and personal well-being. It explores challenges such as work-life integration, mental health, social support systems, and the impact of gender norms on women’s economic and personal development.

This theme explores how women’s entrepreneurship contributes to economic growth, financial independence, and social mobility, particularly in emerging markets. It examines barriers such as access to finance, policy constraints, and gendered structural inequalities while highlighting strategies, policies, and innovations that enhance women’s participation and success in business.

This theme challenges Eurocentric narratives in gender research by centring indigenous, African, and Global South perspectives in knowledge production. It examines alternative epistemologies, feminist methodologies, and the role of lived experiences in shaping more inclusive, contextually relevant understandings of gender, entrepreneurship, and economic development.