“Well, mostly women don’t kill each other or they don’t kill men. Now, there are exceptions, but I have never heard anybody ask the question: what is it about the way women are reared that basically it means they don’t kill other people, and is there anything that men can learn from this? Because I do not believe the men are innately evil or violent, but it is that we have created a culture where this is tolerated.”
Today my guest is Professor Pat O’Connor. Professor O’Connor is Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Limerick and Visiting Professor, Geary Institute, at the University College Dublin. She is an expert in gender studies and women’s rights, which has made her a leading commentator on women’s issues and society in general. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with her, so I hope you are sitting comfortably and happy to stay with us.
We began our chat with a conversation about Ireland and its progressive stance in gender issues and women’s rights in particular (02:25), before moving on to addressing the controversial statistics of women who have been sexually assaulted in Irish colleges (12:10). I went on to ask Pat about the online reaction by some men when faced with stories or incidents of violence towards women (20:28), and whether religious institutions should bear some responsibility for their behaviour (28:57). Towards the end of the episode, I asked Pat if more women in prominent positions in politics and religion in Ireland would be a progressive step? (32:51). We finished up our chat with me asking Pat what she is reading and watching at the moment (48:22).
Show Notes
- Prof. O’Connnor on Twitter
- University of Limerick profile
- Prof. O’Connor at The European Network
- Borgen trailer
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- For more, hear my conversation with Benjamin Chesterton , Suswati Basu and Eimear Ní Bhraonáin
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