This thematic thread considers the figure of the anti-hero/anti-heroine and the lens of anti-heroism, and proposes a heuristic reformulation, the anti-hero*ine, to grasp more acutely the complexities and ambiguities in the interplay of power, agency and morality in relation to contemporary struggles for justice, rights, and social change. Pursuing this line of enquiry also allows us to reflect on and celebrate the work and scholarship of our friend, colleague and mentor, Jane Cowan. The thread continues a discussion we initiated on the occasion of her Festschrift workshop, 'Anti-hero*ines of International Social, Political and Legal Practice: An International Exploratory Workshop', which took place at the University of Lausanne in June 2024.