Research areas

Primary research areas

Karmen Tornius’ research encompasses different dimensions of gender politics, ranging from understanding the construction of gender policy architectures to historiographies of global gender equality norms or challenges of implementing gender equality commitments. Her research has especially focused on different African policy contexts, like the African Union’s gender governance, the ‘women, peace and security’ agenda in Kenya, Ethiopia and Mali, and the role of Kenyan women and critical pan-African feminist organisations in shaping global agreements on gender and development. Through theoretical focus on brokers, agency of the non-dominant, localisation, masculinities, Third World feminisms and gender policy as practice, her research unpacks the messy and everchanging terrain of gender politics at global and local levels.

Current research

Tornius’ ongoing research focuses on state and non-state actors’ relationship in Ukraine. Particularly, she is interested in the strategies and opportunities for women’s civil society organisations to have an impact on policy processes in a country defending its sovereignty. Her research examines how conservative views on gender roles, progressive aspirations of gender equality and the demands of active conflict shape women’s organisations work and engagement with policymakers.

Projects

Tornius carried out her PhD research as part of the Global Norms on Eliminating Violence Against Women (GLOW) in Ethiopia project, focusing on African Union as the regional normative actor.

As a postdoctoral researcher at Freie Universitaet Berlin, Tornius carried out a research project “African imprints on the global gender equality script(s)”, exploring how diverse African actors sought to shape global discourses on women, development and rights.

Tornius is currently part of the Ukraine Initiative at DIIS, expanding knowledge and expertise on Ukrainian affairs.