Why is Sophie Harman Sick of It?

Show notes

Why do women still die when they don´t have to? Despite global advancements and available resources, preventable deaths among women persist. Women continue to shoulder the weight of healthcare work and the socio-economic impact of health crises. Sophie Harman, prize-winning Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary London, is – as her new book flags – sick of it. In conversation with host Polly Pallister-Wilkins they discuss Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women’s Health which maps out how women´s health is manipulated for political gain, from health-washing to attacks on maternity hospitals and the exploitation of health workers. As we navigate a year of crucial elections, this book offers a candid reflection on the state of women´s health in global politics and a vision for reclaiming equality in health. Sophie Harman brings her extensive expertise to the discussion. With seven academic books and numerous articles on global health politics, she has been a voice in major media outlets and a consultant for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She has also co-written and produced the feature film Pili (2017), highlighting the real-life struggles of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. Tune in for a groundbreaking contribution that reveals the causes for why politics is still jeopardising women´s health around the world.

Harman, Sophie (2024): Sick of It. The Global Fight for Womens Health. London, Virago.

Harman, Sophie and Papamichail, Andreas (2025): Global Health Governance, 2nd edition. London, Routledge.

Pili (Sophie Harman, Leanne Welham, 2017)

Elnakib, Shatha; Aly, Sarah; Asi, Yara M. and Shawar, Yusra Ribhi (2024): The Humanitarian System: Politics can not be avoided. The Lancet 404 (10458), pp. 1105-1106.

Bedford, Kate (2019): Bingo Capitalism. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

New comment

Your name or nickname, will be shown publicly
At least 10 characters long
By submitting your comment you agree that the content of the field "Name or nickname" will be stored and shown publicly next to your comment. Using your real name is optional.