Feminist Organizations and Social Transformation in Latin America

by Stromquist,Nelly P.

• ISBN13: 9781594513213
• ISBN10: 159451321X
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2007-10-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Away from the public eye, but from within the structures of stable and efficient organizations, women's groups have established nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to pursue feminist agendas. Feminist Organizations and Social Transformation in Latin America constitutes one of the first detailed analyses of the political and educational work of these organizations. Focusing on NGOs in the Dominican Republic and Peru, the book presents three case studies of feminist work, showing the careful balance they must navigate among satisfying basic needs, promoting legislation to address profound gender asymmetries, and creating countercultures essential to the development of a gender-attenuated society. In documenting the work of feminist NGOs, Stromquist identifies the ways they provide nonformal education (outside the school system) and informal learning (through experiences and internal discussions) to produce a new consciousness and assertive identities among women.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
What We Do Not Know about Women's Organizations	p. 4
Study Purpose	p. 5
Research Design	p. 5
The Case Studies	p. 6
Sampling Considerations	p. 7
Field Access and Participants	p. 7
Women's Organizations in the Context of Great Social Inequality	p. 12
Transformative Actions in Favor of Social Change	p. 14
Gender, State, and Modernity	p. 16
Autonomous Women's Groups	p. 19
The Importance of Nonformal Education	p. 28
The Occurrence of Informal Learning	p. 32
The Historical and Cultural Context of the Latin American Region	p. 33
The Feminist Movement in Latin America	p. 38
The Transnational Context of Feminism	p. 41
CIPAF: Change through a Multidimensional Strategy	p. 43
Origins and Evolution of the Research Center for Feminist Action	p. 43
Strategies for Social Transformation	p. 46
Actions in Formal Education	p. 54
Actions in Nonformal Education	p. 58
Informal Learning	p. 62
Political Interaction Strategies	p. 66
Concrete Achievements	p. 70
Transnational Support	p. 76
Theoretical Lessons	p. 81
Movimiento Manuela Ramos: Pragmatism for Women's Advancement	p. 85
Origins and Evolution of the Manuela Ramos Movement	p. 85
Theoretical Issues Confronting the Organization	p. 91
Actions in Formal Education	p. 92
Actions in Nonformal Education	p. 93
Informal Learning	p. 109
Political and Organizational Interaction Strategies	p. 113
Concrete Achievements	p. 119
Transnational Support	p. 126
Theoretical Lessons	p. 128
Flora Tristan: Political Action through Critical Reflection	p. 133
Origins and Evolution of the Organization	p. 133
Organizational and Political Trajectories	p. 136
Theoretical Issues Facing the Feminist Organization	p. 138
Actions in Formal Education	p. 139
Actions in Nonformal Education	p. 144
Informal Learning	p. 151
Political Interaction Strategies	p. 158
Concrete Achievements	p. 171
Transnational Support	p. 178
Theoretical Lessons	p. 181
Feminist Organizations in Comparative Perspective	p. 186
Primary Objectives of Feminist Organizations	p. 187
The Importance of Education	p. 190
Advantages to Institutionalization	p. 201
Comparing Feminist Organizations	p. 205
Ongoing Challenges	p. 215
Transnational Support	p. 222
The Promise and Limits of Globalized Times	p. 224
Final Observations	p. 227
Some Implications for Future Action	p. 232
Notes	p. 234
References	p. 241
Index	p. 251
About the Author	p. 255
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