Today on the podcast we talk to Sarah Keenan and navigate her process of elimination to arrive at being a Reader in Law at Birkbeck University, London. Raised on Giabal and Jarowair land in Toowoomba, Australia, Sarah worked in Brisbane as a Judge’s Associate in the Supreme Court of Queensland and as a solicitor at Prisoners’ Legal Service before moving to the UK to take up a PhD studentship at Kent Law School.  

It’s an episode rich in how we fit into and bust out of systems and find ourselves through the many wonderful people we met on our career journeys. It’s loaded and littered with recommendations and references 

As usual, we hit Keenan up with the important Qs: 

Last meal: Vegetarian Lasagna

Currently reading: 

• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh 
• When Species Meet by Donna Harraway 
• Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing 
• Return of a Native by Vron Ware

Currently watching: Killing Eve - last season a bit disappointing tbh

Listening to: 

• Mitski 
• Torres 
• Sharon van Etten 
• the Hidden Cameras 
• the audiobook Valencia by Michelle Tea 

Favourite unwind: swimming and/or cycling 

What advice would Keenan give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?

Ok so we somehow forgot to ask this extremely pertinent question, however if we mine Keenan’s lightning round there seems to be a strong recommendation to extend your friend network beyond your professional circle so that you can occasionally talk about something other than what you work on. We do not disagree, as such Anita has since quit her job so she could remain friends with Avi.

A little about your co-hosts:

Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.

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