Revolutionizing Revolutionizing Motherhood:Motherhood:

TheoreticTheoretical al

PerspectiPerspectivesves

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Feminist Theory & Feminist Theory & the Mothers of the Plaza de the Mothers of the Plaza de

MayoMayoRe: Essay Q #1 – how does theory Re: Essay Q #1 – how does theory apply to this text?apply to this text?Traditional, middle age, working Traditional, middle age, working class women left their homes to class women left their homes to protest the disappearance of their protest the disappearance of their childrenchildrenBeyond marianismo/machismoBeyond marianismo/machismo

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Previously Critiqued Previously Critiqued Feminist ConceptsFeminist Concepts

Public/Private DichotomyPublic/Private Dichotomy(early attempt to explain subordination, (early attempt to explain subordination, not based on biology) not based on biology)Were core tenets of political thought for Were core tenets of political thought for analysis of oppression & emancipationanalysis of oppression & emancipationRelates to societal expectations for Relates to societal expectations for gender behaviorgender behavior

Do these analytic distinctions help Do these analytic distinctions help us understand the process of us understand the process of empowerment?empowerment?

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Molyneux & MoserMolyneux & MoserPractical & Strategic Gender InterestsPractical & Strategic Gender Interests

Practical Gender Interests: involve Practical Gender Interests: involve attempts to gain basic needs (usually by attempts to gain basic needs (usually by poor women)poor women)

Food, housing, water, childcareFood, housing, water, childcareWomen’s participation in the Women’s participation in the public arenapublic arena

Establishing community soup Establishing community soup kitchens, child care centers, etc.kitchens, child care centers, etc.

Arises not from consciousness of a new Arises not from consciousness of a new role, but the desire to perform traditional role, but the desire to perform traditional roles wellroles well * Motherhood is the primary causal * Motherhood is the primary causal factor of factor of collective action collective action

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The personal becomes political—The personal becomes political—Private issues are colonizing public Private issues are colonizing public space (re: Plaza de Mayo)space (re: Plaza de Mayo)Does not challenge gender Does not challenge gender inequalityinequality

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Molyneux & Moser, Molyneux & Moser, cont…cont…

Strategic Gender InterestsStrategic Gender InterestsInvolve a positive challenge to women’s Involve a positive challenge to women’s subordination (usually by middle-class subordination (usually by middle-class feminists)feminists)Struggle for gender equality by Struggle for gender equality by challenging the institutionalization of challenging the institutionalization of male dominationmale dominationYet can involve private issues such as Yet can involve private issues such as domestic violence & reproductive rightsdomestic violence & reproductive rightsIs the practical/strategic distinction a Is the practical/strategic distinction a useful analytic concept?useful analytic concept?

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Dichotomous Dichotomous ConceptualizationsConceptualizations

The original intent: to make women The original intent: to make women visiblevisibleThese concepts have come under These concepts have come under increasing criticism by feminist increasing criticism by feminist scholarsscholarsFeminist turned to why conventional Feminist turned to why conventional approaches to understand gender approaches to understand gender history did not fit women’s experienceshistory did not fit women’s experiences1990s: consensus on the importance 1990s: consensus on the importance of gender in the constitution of of gender in the constitution of political powerpolitical power

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Cubitt & GreensladeCubitt & Greenslade (covered earlier)(covered earlier)

““End to Dichotomy”End to Dichotomy”Was a watershed in feminist theorizingWas a watershed in feminist theorizing

Emphasis has turned to a broader Emphasis has turned to a broader framework which focuses on:framework which focuses on:

State buildingState buildingClass exploitationClass exploitationRacial & ethnic oppressionRacial & ethnic oppression

To construct our understanding of To construct our understanding of power relations that are genderedpower relations that are gendered

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Nonetheless…Nonetheless…Dichotomous concepts Dichotomous concepts continue to be uncritically continue to be uncritically replicated by scholars replicated by scholars attempting to theorize attempting to theorize women’s participation in women’s participation in these spheresthese spheres

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Cubitt & GreensladeCubitt & GreensladeThe distinction between private & The distinction between private & public spheres essentializes public spheres essentializes womenwomenIt subordinates women to a It subordinates women to a “personal patriarch”“personal patriarch”What What appearedappeared to be private to be private (family, sexuality) was a product of (family, sexuality) was a product of state & church policy state & church policy –– and and therefore publictherefore public

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Women may escape Women may escape subordination to a personal subordination to a personal patriarch in the private sphere patriarch in the private sphere by moving into the public sphereby moving into the public sphereBut as they do so, they are But as they do so, they are subjected to a collective subjected to a collective patriarchy in the public worldpatriarchy in the public world

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Q: So how can we see the Q: So how can we see the private sphere as public?private sphere as public?The two spheres are inextricably The two spheres are inextricably inter-relatedinter-relatedHow does Revolutionizing How does Revolutionizing Motherhood illustrate this?Motherhood illustrate this?

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The Feminist Response:The Feminist Response:Women’s reproduction provides Women’s reproduction provides workers for the public labor workers for the public labor marketmarketWomen educate & socialize men & Women educate & socialize men & women so they can work in the women so they can work in the public spherepublic sphereWomen’s unpaid labor in the home Women’s unpaid labor in the home releases men so they can work in releases men so they can work in the public spherethe public sphere

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Cubitt & Greenslade’s Cubitt & Greenslade’s Critique:Critique:Women are seen moving Women are seen moving into the public space into the public space formerly occupied by menformerly occupied by menThis image is powerful This image is powerful where military regimes where military regimes are in controlare in controlThe movement of the The movement of the women into public space women into public space suggests a transformative suggests a transformative impact women have on impact women have on politicspolitics

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Cubitt & Greenslade’s Cubitt & Greenslade’s Critique:Critique:

But: Women “moving into public But: Women “moving into public space” reinforces the space” reinforces the private/public dichotomyprivate/public dichotomyWomen’s concerns are expressed Women’s concerns are expressed in terms of moral values & family in terms of moral values & family commitmentscommitmentsThus many feminists criticized Thus many feminists criticized Guzman Bouvard’s analysis of the Guzman Bouvard’s analysis of the MothersMothers

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FeijooFeijooThe Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo focus on reproductive rightsfocus on reproductive rightsTheir stand on maternity locks Their stand on maternity locks them into a traditional, them into a traditional, marginalized, passive rolemarginalized, passive roleThis reinforces the conventional This reinforces the conventional sexual division of laborsexual division of laborThey perpetuate the concept of the They perpetuate the concept of the self-sacrificing womanself-sacrificing woman

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JelinJelin

Femininity & Maternity vs. Political Femininity & Maternity vs. Political SocializationSocializationWomen have been at the forefront of the Women have been at the forefront of the human rights movementhuman rights movement

Where disappearances & torture occurWhere disappearances & torture occurTheir status as mothers protected them from Their status as mothers protected them from physical violencephysical violence

Commitment rarely stemmed from Commitment rarely stemmed from ideological conviction or strategic ideological conviction or strategic calculations against the dictatorshipcalculations against the dictatorshipThe Mothers thus took a practical, not a The Mothers thus took a practical, not a political position—demanding return of political position—demanding return of their childrentheir children

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Women lost their fear & faced Women lost their fear & faced risk to satisfy their risk to satisfy their personal needpersonal needThis expanded the feminine role This expanded the feminine role of caring for the familyof caring for the familyTheir participation did not focus Their participation did not focus primarily on the rights of women, primarily on the rights of women, but stemmed from personal but stemmed from personal family tragedyfamily tragedy

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Jelin: Chile vs. ArgentinaJelin: Chile vs. Argentina

In contrast, in Chile, political In contrast, in Chile, political socialization fostered a women’s socialization fostered a women’s movementmovementAs As direct victimsdirect victims of repression, of repression, women’s demands were women’s demands were converted into political demands converted into political demands against the regimeagainst the regimeIs she correct?Is she correct?

2020

Conger LindConger LindPolitization of gender identity & Politization of gender identity & new collective identitiesnew collective identitiesResearch rarely focuses on how Research rarely focuses on how poor women negotiate power & poor women negotiate power & construct collective identitiesconstruct collective identitiesA new focus on A new focus on reconceptualizing gender reconceptualizing gender identity is neededidentity is needed

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Traditional research assumes men & Traditional research assumes men & women are socialized differently, thus have women are socialized differently, thus have different identities, expectations, & needsdifferent identities, expectations, & needsThese shape their social consciousnessThese shape their social consciousnessGender identity is not fixedGender identity is not fixedFor poor women, collectivization of For poor women, collectivization of reproductive activities leads to the reproductive activities leads to the formation of new collective identities & formation of new collective identities & new definition of needsnew definition of needsWomen become politicized, forming a Women become politicized, forming a counter-resistancecounter-resistanceThis enables them to use their new identity This enables them to use their new identity in their struggle & to challenge existing in their struggle & to challenge existing systemssystems

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JacquetteJacquetteNaturally determined & socially Naturally determined & socially determined livesdetermined livesWomen’s participation in social Women’s participation in social movements breaks the barrier between movements breaks the barrier between the two spheresthe two spheres

Women are released from “naturally Women are released from “naturally determined” lives to enter the “socially determined” lives to enter the “socially determined” worlddetermined” world

Collective action blurs the boundaries of Collective action blurs the boundaries of public & private & reduces women’s public & private & reduces women’s isolationisolationThis is a strategic principle for political This is a strategic principle for political empowerment of womenempowerment of women

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Through participation in social Through participation in social movements women gain movements women gain awareness of gender awareness of gender subordinationsubordination

Their actions do not depend merely Their actions do not depend merely on the domestic sphereon the domestic sphereBut demand incorporation into the But demand incorporation into the state or directly confront the statestate or directly confront the state

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Q: Does public action Q: Does public action originating from private originating from private

grief transform the grief transform the mothers into women aware mothers into women aware

of gender demands?of gender demands?What is GuzmWhat is Guzmán Bouvard’s án Bouvard’s position?position?

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The Mothers directly challenged the The Mothers directly challenged the dictatorshipdictatorshipThey emerged from their traditional They emerged from their traditional role to subvert the social & political role to subvert the social & political order, revealing their revolutionary order, revealing their revolutionary potentialpotentialThey subverted the concept of They subverted the concept of motherhood as merely reproductive & motherhood as merely reproductive & stepped out of their roles as passive & stepped out of their roles as passive & private personsprivate persons

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Working class mothers rejected Working class mothers rejected obedience, hierarchy, & obedience, hierarchy, & marianismomarianismo

They refused to wear black to morn They refused to wear black to morn for their childrenfor their children

They did not need feminist They did not need feminist theory to understand how the theory to understand how the traditional female role reinforces traditional female role reinforces a repressive systema repressive system

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They challenged the Catholic They challenged the Catholic heritage that supported the heritage that supported the political systempolitical systemArmy Captain: “I can’t imagine Army Captain: “I can’t imagine the Virgin Mary shouting, the Virgin Mary shouting, protesting, spreading hatred protesting, spreading hatred when her son was snatched from when her son was snatched from her arms”her arms”

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Feminists have not perceived the Feminists have not perceived the Mothers’ transformation of Mothers’ transformation of maternity or their roles as maternity or their roles as revolutionary womenrevolutionary women

They fail to differentiate them from Eva They fail to differentiate them from Eva PerPerónón who projected a traditional who projected a traditional image of motherhood into the political image of motherhood into the political arena & perpetuated the authoritarian arena & perpetuated the authoritarian state while wielding powerstate while wielding power

They redefined private & public They redefined private & public spheres to create a political spacespheres to create a political space

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The mothers’ politics undermines The mothers’ politics undermines militaristic thinkingmilitaristic thinkingThey did not seek to eliminate maternity They did not seek to eliminate maternity as their identity, but created a political as their identity, but created a political role for the values of love & caring role for the values of love & caring associated with maternityassociated with maternityThey transformed themselves from They transformed themselves from women seeking to protect the sanctity of women seeking to protect the sanctity of motherhood within the political system to motherhood within the political system to transform the State so it reflects transform the State so it reflects maternal valuesmaternal valuesTheirs was a humanistic revolutionTheirs was a humanistic revolution