Editors: Dr Bridget Irene; Prof Joan Lockyer, Dr Chioma Onoshakpor; Dr Doyin Olorunfemi; Dr Elona Ndlovu; Dr Bisola Ariyo
In times of crisis, be it economic recessions, environmental catastrophes, or health emergencies, women and entrepreneurs specifically, feel the effects disproportionately. Yet, they appear to exhibit exceptional resilience, utilising imaginative techniques to adapt, endure, and prosper in these adverse conditions (Welter et al., 2004; Vershinina, et al., 2020). Many have altered their business strategies, diversified their offerings, or leveraged community networks to maintain operations and assist their communities (Yu, et al., 2024). Crises frequently show deficiencies in formal support structures, but women's reactions demonstrate alternative strategies grounded in teamwork, ingenuity, and community-oriented resilience. For many women entrepreneurs, migration adds another layer of complexity. Migration may be voluntary or driven by necessity, such as escaping conflict or seeking economic stability. Regardless of reason, this requires women to rebuild networks, understand new regulatory landscapes, and at times contend with language or cultural barriers (Billore, 2011).
Women who migrate often carry the additional responsibility of supporting family members in their home countries, creating a dual pressure to succeed financially in unfamiliar environments. This intersection of migration and entrepreneurship brings distinct challenges, but also unique opportunities. Many migrant women create businesses that bridge cultural divides, provide niche services for immigrant communities, and contribute significantly to local economies, all while challenging stereotypes and reimagining what entrepreneurship can look like (Chreim, et al., 2018)
Added to the above, women across the globe have distinct and intricate problems, many of which are exacerbated by the lasting effects of colonial history (Coquery-Vidrovitch, 2018). These legacies emerge in diverse forms, including economic inequalities, restricted access to capital, and institutional frameworks and cultural norms that persistently support entrenched, frequently male-dominated, business models (Agwara, 2012; Prabhakar, 2024; Tula et al., 2024). In some regions, the financial environment continues to be significantly shaped by colonial-era economic patterns that disproportionately limit prospects for women (Bernards, 2022; Meier zu Selhausen, and Weisdorf, 2023.). Women are often marginalised from conventional funding options, including bank loans and venture capital, due to systemic biases or restrictive laws (Bayly, 2011). Consequently, women entrepreneurs frequently depend on personal funds, informal loans, or community networks, which may hinder their growth potential and impose further pressure on their enterprises (Jaiyeola, 2020). Cultural expectations and societal roles, also shaped by colonial narratives, further complicate the entrepreneurial journey for many women (Halkias et al., 2011).
In numerous contexts, entrepreneurship is still perceived as a male-oriented pursuit, while women are expected to prioritize family and caregiving roles (Irene, 2017; Onoshakpor et al., 2024). Such deeply embedded norms can limit women’s freedom to innovate, scale their businesses, or access certain markets, as they are often held to different standards and subjected to additional scrutiny (Irene, 2018; Wood, Ng, and Bastian, 2021). These layered challenges underscore the need for decolonial perspectives that critically examine and address the obstacles that inhibit women. By recognizing and confronting the legacy of colonial structures, society can move toward more inclusive systems that enable women not only to overcome these challenges but also to flourish.
This book explores the intersection of crisis, resilience, migration and decolonialisation in the context of women’s work and specifically entrepreneurship. We seek to foster reflections and discussions that critically assess how colonial histories continue to influence ecosystems, gender norms, and resource accessibility and to explore how women are actively resisting, adapting, and transforming in response to these. The book encourages work that highlights the voices and strategies of women who are innovating within and against these structures, emphasizing resilience, indigenous knowledge, and locally driven business practices.
We invite submissions that engage with, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Please submit abstracts of approximately 500 words (excluding references) to editorswrn@gmail.com
The deadline for abstract submission is October 17th, 2025, at 23:30 (CET) with decisions on acceptance communicated by mid-November 2025.
Full paper submissions are due by 1st of February 2026 and Publication by October 2026
For pre-submission enquiries, please send an email to editorswrn@gmail.com
References
Agwara, H.O., 2012. Legacies of the Past: Coinciding Inequality, Trust and Entrepreneurial Capabilities of Nations. George Mason University.
Bayly, C.A., 2011. Indigenous and colonial origins of comparative economic development: the case of colonial India and Africa. History, Historians Development, p.39.
Bernards, N., 2022. A critical history of poverty finance: Colonial roots and neoliberal failures (p. 240). Pluto Press.
Billore, S., 2011. Female immigrant entrepreneurship: Exploring international entrepreneurship through the status of Indian women entrepreneurs in Japan. International journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 3(1), pp.38-55.
Chreim, S., Spence, M., Crick, D. and Liao, X., 2018. Review of female immigrant entrepreneurship research: Past findings, gaps and ways forward. European Management Journal, 36(2), pp.210- 222.
Coquery-Vidrovitch, C., 2018. African women: A modern history. Routledge.
Halkias, D., Nwajiuba, C., Harkiolakis, N. and Caracatsanis, S.M., 2011. Challenges facing women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Management research review, 34(2), pp.221-235.
Irene, B., 2017. Women entrepreneurship in South Africa: Understanding the role of competencies in business success. The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, 9(1), pp.1- 9.
Irene, B., 2018. Women entrepreneurs in South Africa: maintaining a balance between culture, personal life, and business. In Women Entrepreneurs and the Myth of ‘Underperformance’ (pp. 90-106). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Jaiyeola, E.O., 2020. Patriarchy and colonization: The" brooder house" for gender inequality in Nigeria. Meier zu Selhausen, F. and Weisdorf, J., 2023. Colonial influences and African women's segregation: Evidence from Anglican converts in urban British Africa (No. 74). African Economic History. Working Paper Series.
Onoshakpor, C., Cunningham, J. and Gammie, E., 2024. Entrepreneurship under patriarchy: the intersecting forces characterising everyday life for Nigeria’s women entrepreneurs. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research. Prabhakar, A.C., 2024. Colonial Echoes: Unraveling Economic Legacies
Prabhakar, A.C., 2024. Colonial Echoes: Unraveling Economic Legacies and Geopolitical Shifts in the South Pacific Islands. African and Asian Studies, 1(aop), pp.1-29.
Tula, S.T., Ofodile, O.C., Okoye, C.C., Nifise, A.O.A. and Odeyemi, O., 2024. Entrepreneurial ecosystems in the USA: A comparative review with European models. International Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship Research, 6(2), pp.451-466.
Vershinina, N., Rodgers, P., Tarba, S., Khan, Z. and Stokes, P., 2020. Gaining legitimacy through proactive stakeholder management: The experiences of high-tech women entrepreneurs in Russia. Journal of Business Research, 119, pp.111-121.
Wood, B.P., Ng, P.Y. and Bastian, B.L., 2021. Hegemonic conceptualizations of empowerment in entrepreneurship and their suitability for collective contexts. Administrative Sciences, 11(1),p.28.
