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Björkdahl, Höglund and Mannergren: Women’s testimonies reshape how war is understood

Screen dump from The Loop

Women's testimonies have changed the way the world recognizes and acknowledges violence in war. Despite this, women remain marginalized in many portrayals and accounts of conflict.

Much research has documented wars and their consequences, yet men's experiences dominate our understanding. But our research shows that women’s testimonies shape justice, accountability, and the recognition of wartime violence. Their testimonies are vital sources of knowledge about how women endure and remember war and mass atrocities. 

New testimonies now emerging from contemporary war zones such as Ukraine, Iran, Gaza, and Sudan show a continuation of the gendered patterns of violence our research identified. It is time to learn from history and translate these insights into efforts to address the gendered violence that has accompanied war across centuries.

Read the article in The Loop: The power of women's war testimonies

Three photos of Annika Björkdahl, Kristine Höglund, and Johanna Mannergren
Annika Björkdahl, Lund University (Photo: Johan Persson), Kristine Höglund, Uppsala University, and Johanna Mannergren, Södertörn University.

Contributing Authors:

Annika Björkdahl
Professor, Department of Political Science, Lund University

Kristine Höglund
Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University

Johanna Mannergren
Professor, School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University