Megan Robertson

Profile

A video about my latest research here: Queer Performance and African Futures

I am an interdisciplinary scholar based in the School of Sociology at the University of Leeds. My research focuses on gender and sexual diversity, queer lives and communities, lived religion, and creative and cultural forms of expression. I am particularly interested in the relationship between religion and social change, and in how religious beliefs, practices, and institutions shape experiences of gender, sexuality, and social justice. While Southern Africa remains the primary focus of my scholarship, my work contributes to broader international conversations on religion, gender, sexuality, and inequality across African and Global South contexts.

I completed my PhD at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, in 2020 and subsequently held a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship in the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science at the University of Leeds. I have published widely on gender, sexuality, and religion in Southern Africa. My monograph, Called and Queer: Lived Religion and LGBTQ Methodist Clergy in South Africa (2024), examines the experiences of LGBTQ clergy and offers new insights into the intersections of faith, sexuality, and religious vocation.

Alongside my research, I am committed to academic leadership and scholarly community-building. I am Co-Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at the University of Leeds and serve as Deputy Director of Student Education (Student Success and Wellbeing). Internationally, I am Co-Editor of the African Journal of Gender and Religion and General Secretary of the African Association for the Study of Religion, contributing to the development of scholarly networks and collaborations across Africa and beyond.

My work extends beyond the university through collaborations with artists, activists, faith communities, student groups, and independent cultural organisations. Through these partnerships, I explore innovative and creative approaches to research and knowledge production, fostering dialogue on religion, gender, sexuality, and social justice within and beyond academic contexts.

Responsibilities

• Deputy Director of Student Education (Student Success and Wellbeing)
• Co-Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies

Research interests

My research sits at the intersections of gender, sexuality, religion, race, and culture, with a particular focus on Southern Africa and connections to wider African and Global South contexts. Drawing on perspectives from sociology, gender studies, religious studies, and African studies, my work is grounded in questions about social justice and inequality, exploring how structures of power shape lived experiences, identities, and possibilities for social transformation.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of the Western Cape (2020)

Professional memberships

• African Association for the Study of Religions
• African Studies Association of the UK
• British Sociological Association

Student education

Megan contributes to teaching and supervision across sociology and interdisciplinary social science. Her teaching is informed by her research on gender, sexuality, race, religion, and social transformation, and she is committed to supporting students to critically engage with contemporary social issues. Alongside her teaching, she plays a key role in enhancing the student experience through her work on student success and wellbeing, with a focus on inclusive education, belonging, and academic development.

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for African Studies
• Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies
• Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies

Current postgraduate researchers

• Kate Ranson