Caitlyn McGeer

Caitlyn McGeer is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Centre for Socio-Legal Studies and lectures at both the University of Oxford and the University of Toronto. She serves as Principal Investigator for a British Academy ODA International Interdisciplinary Research Project titled "Gender and Digital Repression: The Practice and Toll of Digital Repression on Women in the Authoritarian Turn" and leads qualitative impact evaluations for the World Bank's Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice in Ethiopia.

Education

• DPhil from the University of Oxford, researching law enforcement operationalization of UN protocols on trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling in Nigeria

Research Interests

Dr. McGeer specializes in gender-technology intersections within human rights frameworks, with deep expertise in security dynamics across sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Her work combines socio-legal analysis with field-based qualitative evaluation, focusing on digital repression against women in authoritarian contexts and gender dimensions of food insecurity. Current projects examine how digital surveillance tools impact women's rights under authoritarian regimes while developing methodologies for assessing gendered vulnerabilities in crisis situations.

Grants and Professional Activities

• Principal Investigator for British Academy-funded project on gender and digital repression
• Lead for World Bank Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice evaluations in Ethiopia

Research Initiatives

Dr. McGeer actively contributes to the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, ConflictNet, and INFOLEAD executive education programs. Her fieldwork-driven approach involves collaboration with UN entities, governmental agencies, and NGOs across Africa and Latin America, emphasizing practical applications of socio-legal research in development contexts.