Reclaiming the Feminist Vision: Consciousness-Raising and Small Group Practice

It’s called consciousness-raising (CR). Asking questions about our experiences and sharing insights with others can be the basis for informed activism for positive social change. CR provided the entry point for feminists who shaped the women’s liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s and is now being revitalised across class, race and geography. The consciousness-raising process has been used by nannies and caretakers whose analyses of shared experiences led to the creation of Domestic Workers United, a national group organising for power, respect and fair labour standards.

Consciousness-raising is an apt descriptor for the
Lean In
circles spawned by Sheryl Sandberg’s best-selling book by that title. Translators of Our Bodies Ourselves have used CR groups to adapt that classic guide to women’s health and sexuality in dozens of countries and more than 25 languages.

Reclaiming the Feminist Vision traces the origins, principles and impact of consciousness-raising; reveals how the process migrated to other settings, often without using the term CR; and calls for the renewal of the practise to help women and their allies regain their voices and their power in shaping social movement history.