Women's movements and democratization in Latin America
Waylen, G.
Third World Quarterly 14(3): 573-587
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0143-6597 Document Number: 306875
This paper examines the relationship between a social movement and the process of democratization in Latin America. The key role played by the women's movement in the third wave of democratization, while still largely neglected in the literature, has been increasingly recognized over the past few years. While its is difficult to generalize about the impact of democratization on women and women's movements, it is clear that some women's movements, often campaigning around practical gender issues, have become more marginalized in the process of transition. This has occurred while other groups of women, who are often middle class and pressing more strategic gender-based political demands on the state, have had an impact on newly reconstituted competitive party politics. Two questions remain: (1) whether women's movements should remain autonomous and not become integrated into political parties; and (2) whether there is a need for greater coordination between women's movements and the state. Finally, while negotiated transition involving the middle classes may offer the greatest chance of consolidating democracy, it may also serve to marginalize the popular movement.