Lecturer at University of Oxford | Editor of the book ‘Gender and Diplomacy’ | Former diplomat
Jennifer A. Cassidy is a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Oxford (St Peter’s College). Her PhD from the University of Oxford focused on the changing nature of diplomacy in the information age, examining the digitisation of diplomatic communication during times of political crisis.
In 2017, Jennifer produced the first edited volume on Gender and Diplomacy: Theory and Practice (Routledge). By bringing together established scholars and seasoned practitioners of diplomacy, the volume provides a detailed discussion of the role of women in diplomacy and crafts for its readers a global narrative of understanding relating to their current and historical role within it. Based on her work for the book, in 2016, at TEDxOxford she gave the talk: The Road Less Travelled: Why we need a Feminist Foreign Policy. In her work on Gender and Diplomacy, Jennifer endeavours to move the conversation beyond the simple perception of women entering the diplomatic corps as a ‘novel’ or ‘unique’ act. She rather aims at beginning a necessary discussion regarding the type of role women play, or are provided with, once they enter the diplomatic sphere.
Outside out of the realm of academia, Jennifer has served as a Political Attaché to Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (New York), Human Rights Attaché to the European External Action Service to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Headquarters during its 2012 Chairmanship of the OSCE and 2013 Presidency of the Council of the European Union. She is currently a founding and active member of Oxford’s Digital Diplomacy Research Group, who amongst other ventures, also established the ‘London Ambassadors Forum’. The forum provides a series of lectures to Ambassadors resident in London on technology and diplomacy, designed primarily to bridge the growing gap between academia and practitioners. Jennifer also contributes to both the BBC and The Irish Times, on issues of digital diplomacy, data protection and the role of gender in the political and diplomatic sphere.
Follow her on Twitter: @OxfordDiplomat and Instagram: @mynameisjennifer