Women and Social Movements in Latin America: Power from below

Women’s grassroots activism in Latin America combines a commitment to basic survival for women and their children with a challenge to women’s subordination to men. This comparative study explores six cases of women’s grassroots activism in Mexico, El Salvador, Brazil and Chile. For each country the author synthesizes the the historical political conditions which affect women’s organizations and the most salient issues for the country. An organization is chosen for in-depth analysis, and the leading figures in the movement are interviewed. The book covers a wide array of issues, from the progression of feminist politics in Latin America to the country-specific conditions which give rise to diverse women’s organizations. It brings together themes as complex as the impact of economic and political processes on women’s work to the domestic and community effects of their activism.