Hind Elhinnawy

Hind joined Nottingham Trent University in October 2019 and brings extensive teaching experience across Gender Studies, Sociology, and Criminology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She plays a key role in delivering teaching that centres critical and intersectional perspectives on crime, inequality, and social justice. She currently teaches the Year 3 Crime and Inequality module and contributes to postgraduate teaching through the MA Research Project module, supporting students in developing independent, research-led work.

Hind has been actively involved in curriculum development, designing modules such as Gender and Crime and Inequalities and Crime, strengthening the department’s focus on structural inequalities. Alongside her teaching, she supervises undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and currently supervises four PhD students. She welcomes enquiries from prospective doctoral candidates, particularly in areas related to intersectional feminism, Muslim feminisms, gender and Islam, social justice, black feminist leadership, and transnational activism.

Beyond teaching and supervision, Hind plays a significant leadership role within the university. She is the lead of the Intersectional Social Justice Research Group, a dynamic interdisciplinary space for research on inequality, activism, and social change. She is also the REF representative for Criminology, contributing to research strategy and outputs within the unit.

Hind is a member of the University Shadow Executive Team and is actively engaged in work around decolonising the curriculum, embedding inclusive and critical approaches across teaching and learning. She also contributes to institutional initiatives such as Athena Swan and serves as the Institutes REF coordinator, supporting staff advocacy and engagement.

Hind’s career reflects a distinctive intersection of academic excellence, activist leadership, and lived experience, shaping her commitment to research, teaching, and social justice. She has held research and teaching roles across several influential institutions, including the Cynthia Nelson Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies at the American University in Cairo, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, Strategy Ray, the Ibn Khaldun Centre for Developmental Studies, and the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK. Across these roles, she has contributed to both independent and collaborative research addressing pressing social and political challenges.

Alongside her academic work, Hind has over a decade of sustained engagement in gender-focused social and political activism in Egypt, grounded in both personal and professional commitment. She has been a visible public voice, speaking on televised programmes and contributing to national and international media. Crucially, her activism has contributed to tangible legal and policy change, including successful advocacy around personal status and sexual harassment laws. Her work has consistently bridged grassroots activism, policy engagement, and academic research, positioning her as both a scholar and agent of change.

Her international and cross-sector experience has enabled her to collaborate with academics, activists, and policymakers, leading to the organisation of public engagement events, scholarly publications, postgraduate supervision, and the development of externally funded research projects. Her approach is rooted in participatory and collaborative methodologies, with particular expertise in leading participatory action research that centres marginalised voices.

Prior to her current role, Hind served as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Kent, where she taught across a wide range of sociology and criminology modules, including Sociology of Everyday Life, Fundamentals of Sociology, Introduction to Criminology, Crime & Society, The Criminal Justice System in Britain, and Crime, Media and Culture. She was responsible for designing and delivering seminars, preparing course materials, marking assessments, and supporting undergraduate dissertations.

In Egypt, Hind held several senior research and leadership roles. As Lead Researcher at Strategy Ray, she designed and led quantitative and qualitative research projects across local and regional contexts, managed research delivery, and contributed to publications and stakeholder reports. At the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, she taught sociology and social research methods, while also contributing to curriculum design and departmental development. As Project Manager at the Ibn Khaldun Centre for Developmental Studies, she directed the Egyptian Democracy Support Network, collaborating with academics, activists, and policymakers to produce high-impact reports and organise national and international events. Earlier in her career, as a Field Researcher at the New Woman Foundation in Cairo, she contributed to feminist research initiatives, awareness campaigns, and advocacy programmes addressing women’s rights and social inequality.

Hind is actively engaged in a wide range of external activities that extend her academic work into community impact, public engagement, and policy advocacy. She collaborates with Nottingham Citizens on campaigns such as Racial Equity in Education and Migration Justice, and contributes to initiatives at Nottingham Women’s Centre, where she has supported the development of enhanced peer support for women. She has also served as a Fundraising Advisor for BRAVE Nottingham, helping to support grassroots community projects aimed at advancing social justice.

Hind is a core member of Feminist Dissent, contributing to critical debates on secularism, feminism, and resistance. She is also affiliated with the National Secular Society and continues to engage with national conversations around secularism, rights, and equality. In addition, she is a member of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network, where she contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue and policy-relevant research discussions.

Beyond these roles, Hind is committed to public scholarship and frequently disseminates her research to wider audiences. She is an author for The Conversation and has contributed to media outlets such as The Independent and Sister-hood Magazine, using these platforms to engage critically with issues of feminism, women’s rights, Islamophobia, and social justice. Through her combined academic, activist, and media work, she continues to shape public debates and foster connections between research, policy, and community action.