Making Feminist Sense of 'the Anti-Globalisation Movement', 2004-2005

Abstract

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.This research aims to make sense of 'the anti-globalisation movement' from a feminist perspective. It seeks to offer a feminist conceptualization of this movement as well as an empirical mapping of women's and feminist anti-globalisation activism. The collection and analysis of data has been informed by two broad methodological frameworks. The first is social movement theory, especially of the constructivist variety. The second, and most important, is feminist theory, broadly conceived, which generates its questions from women's experiences and struggles, problematises gendered power relations, treats women as subjects rather than simply objects of knowledge, and encourages reflexivity on the part of the researcher. Fieldwork was conducted at the European Social Forum in London, October 2004 and the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, January 2005. Semi-structured interviews took place with open-ended questions on specific topics. Subjects were chosen in large part because they were identified by the researchers as 'key informants', i.e. coordinators of groups with an active and important role on site. However, the interviews constitute only part of a wider dataset and it is important to understand these are partial, situated narratives of interpretation about feminist anti-globalisation activism. The data generated are used to map the historical context, organisational structure, ideological and identity claims and key practices of feminist anti-globalisation activism. In so doing, the research aims to make the little-studied phenomenon visible and audible, and to contribute to a richer, and more critical, understanding of the anti-globalisation movement and its theoretical implications. Further information can be found on the ESRC award page.Main Topics:Activism, anti-globalisation, capitalism, critical theory, direct action, education, European Social Forum, feminism, global justice movement, globalization, ideological and identity, international relations, movement of movements, neoliberalism, networks, organisational structure, power relations, politics of resistance, women’s groups, World Social Forum.<br