School of Sociology and Social Policy

Stefanie Boulila

MA Global Genders and PhD | 2010 - 2014

About me
I grew up in Switzerland and this is where I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in media and communication studies, political science and theatre and dance studies. I was a political campaigner for women’s and queer rights and on the Swiss Committee for UN Women (former UNIFEM).

I came to Leeds for an MA in Global Genders. During my MA I received a PhD scholarship from the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

I’m really enjoying my PhD research and all the doors it has been opening. It has been a busy few months of meeting great people and engaging in critical debates. I have also started to teach undergraduates in the School of Sociology & Social Policy.

My motivation to study
I chose the MA Global Genders because I was interested in how gender and sexuality intersect with ‘race’ and post-coloniality. The course at Leeds was unique in this respect and it has exceeded my expectations by far.

My experience
The friendly and supportive atmosphere at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies (CIGS) excelled everything. The staff have gone out of their way to make sure that we get the most out of our MAs.

They have helped us with funding applications, conference papers, and even supported us when we decided to organise an international conference.

The conference titled ‘Thriving on the Edge of Cuts: Inspirations & Innovations in Gender Studies’ was a huge success and resulted in a special edition of the Graduate Journal of Social Science. Professor Ruth Holliday, Dr. Sally Hines and Dr. Shirley Tate always had an open door for us and made sure that we were made to feel part of the research centre.

The programme
The course provided me with the critical tools I needed to continue my research and my activism. I’ve had the chance to work with leading experts in a wide range of topics such as feminist and queer theory and methodologies, global development, critical ‘race’ studies and postcolonial theory.

From my course work I developed two conference papers which I presented at the 2011 ‘Lesbian Lives’ conference in Brighton and the Feminist and Women's Studies Association’s 2011 ‘Feminist Futures’ conference in London.

It was a very intense year and I cannot believe how far I have come in such a short period of time!

The atmosphere at CIGS is unique and if you are interested in an academically challenging and yet unconventional MA then the gender programmes are definitely for you!

Facilities and support
The facilities at the University are amazing and exceeded my expectations by far. The libraries provided me with a wide collection of knowledge as well as free courses and online tutorials around study/research skills.

There is a lot of free advice and help for students on campus coming from a range of services such as the Language Centre, the Careers Centre, the Student Counselling Centre, the Student Union and many more.

There is amazing support for international students and everyone is very welcoming. The numerous societies make it easy to find like-minded people at the beginning of the year.

Leeds life
The best thing about Leeds is the Yorkshire banter. Leeds is a vibrant city and has something on offer for everyone. If you are interested in Leeds beyond shopping and clubbing, there are some interesting communities and subcultures worth getting involved with.

Also, Leeds borders on a beautiful countryside and is within easy reach of other cities and gorgeous villages.

Since completing my MA
I’ve started my PhD researching queer salsa dancing and I’m planning my first overseas conference visit to present my findings.

Apart from my PhD I’m also working towards some publications about social justice. The encouragement I received during my MA has been key to me receiving an AHRC scholarship for my PhD.

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