The Rhodes Project is delighted to announce that Leading Women is now in the final stages of manuscript preparation.

Drawing on surveys, interviews, profiles, group conversations and career comparisons with male Rhodes Scholars, the book offers a comprehensive account of the professional and personal lives of women Rhodes Scholars, with insights extending far beyond the Rhodes community.

While these women have achieved remarkable professional success, their experiences also reveal enduring gender-based barriers. Leading Women examines their lives through the dual lens of success and struggle, challenging the idea that differences in professional outcomes are simply the result of individual choices and highlighting the additional obstacles women have had to overcome.

What the Book Explores

The book examines a wide range of themes, including:

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

• Early life and Oxford: Childhood experiences and life as Rhodes Scholars.

• Identity and ambition: Personal values, goals and evolving definitions of success.

• Gender inequality: Experiences of sexism, sexual harassment and violence, including within the Rhodes community.

• Family and relationships: The challenges of balancing careers, partnerships, household responsibilities and raising children.

• Social responsibility: How women Rhodes Scholars are using their achievements and opportunities to contribute to wider society.

Together, these experiences offer a broader perspective on how women are reshaping traditional definitions of success.

Stay Updated on the Book

Leading Women is under contract with a major university press. Sign up to receive occasional updates on its publication, including information on where and how to order the book.