39: Cynthia Enloe – ‘Later’ Is a Patriarchal Time Zone

Professor Cynthia Enloe is a Research Professor in the Department of Sustainability and Social Justice at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Cynthia is one of the leading voices on gender and militarism, as well as one of the main proponents of feminist international relations. With fifteen published books and numerous awards to her name, Cynthia is a passionate lecturer and activist, dedicated to raising awareness about how feminist and gendered perspectives have shaped both national and international political discourse. Her contribution to advancing gender justice in international politics has been recognised by the inclusion on the Gender Justice Legacy Wall unveiled at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Our conversation was inspired by her latest book, Twelve Feminist Lessons of War, which urges us to contemplate and maintain curiosity about the diverse realities of women’s wartime lived realities. In a world marked by conflict, Cynthia emphasises the need to acknowledge that “women’s wars are not men’s wars” as a foundation for building enduring peace. This principle serves as the starting point for our conversation on the gendered experiences of war, hierarchies of femininities and masculinities, and the importance of transnational feminist solidarity. Cynthia can be found here: https://www.clarku.edu/faculty/profiles/cynthia-enloe/ We discussed: • Twelve Feminist Lessons of War (London: Footnote Press; Berkeley: University of California Press), 2023. • Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics (Berkley: University of California Press), 2014. • The Curious Feminist: Searching for Women in a New Age of Empire (Berkley: University of California Press), 2004. • Maneuvers: The International Politics of Militarizing Women's Lives (Berkley: University of California Press), 2000.