The Rhodes Project is delighted to announce that Leading Women will be published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in 2027.

Based on original research conducted over a quarter of a century, Leading Women studies a group of women who have had what might be seen as the single best passport for success, a Rhodes Scholarship. How have these Rhodes Scholars and other high-achieving women fared? Written by one of the first women to win a Rhodes, the book draws on surveys, interviews, group conversations, including career comparisons with male Rhodes Scholars.

What the Book Explores

The book examines:

  • Careers and leadership: Professional achievements across generations, comparisons with male Rhodes Scholars, and barriers to equal pay and advancement.

  • Early life, education, and Oxford: Family backgrounds and early experiences, and life during their university studies and as Rhodes Scholars.

  • Identity and ambition: Personal values, goals, political stances, and mental health struggles.

  • The question of success: Rhodes Scholars are supposed to “fight the world’s fight“ and “stand up for the world.“ What does this mean to the women?

  • Gender inequality: Experiences of sexism, sexual harassment, and violence, including as children, university students, professionals, and within the Rhodes community.

  • Family and relationships: The challenges of attaching to careers, partnerships, household responsibilities, and raising children – and the moral debt when high-achieving women employ other women to take care of their kids and homes.

  • Social responsibility: How women Rhodes Scholars are using their achievements and opportunities to contribute to wider society. And do they see themselves as feminists.

Together, these life stories offer a broader perspective on how women are defining and reshaping definitions of success.

Stay Updated on the Book

Leading Women is under contract with Oxford University Press. Sign up to receive occasional updates on its publication, including information on where and how to order the book.