Justice movements organize and mobilize collective action to disrupt the status quo and demand social change. This was one of the presentations at the Global Gender Program panel discussion, co-sponsored by the Gender and Development Journal, Gender at Work and Oxfam. The seminar aimed to retrace the feminist vision that drove gender mainstreaming; discuss stories of transforming gender relations in organizations and communities as well as stories of resistance to change; and explore ruptural ideas and actions that move us beyond gender mainstreaming to influence and transform development and change. It took place on September 20, 2013 at The Elliott School of International Affairs, Washington, DC.

1. FROM INTEGRATION TO DISRUPTION – HOW TO
TRANSFORM GENDER RELATIONS?
Women’s movements and disruption
LISA VENEKLASEN, JASS (Just Associates)
September 20, 2013

2. Movements=Disruption

3. Justice
movements
organize +
mobilize
collective action
to disrupt the
status quo to
demand social
change
Outside strategies to push inside agendas
Formal + informal linkages
Broad constituency – most effected #1
 Big vision of alternative, clear values

4. Interrupt + Make noise
“Withdrawing
cooperation” (Piven)
• RESIST/PROTEST –
boycotts, demos,
occupations block
routines
• CREATE NOISE,
PRESSURE to surface
+ expose problems
• USE SYMBOLISM to
re‐interpret reality +
give new meaning
Getting on the Agenda

5. Disruptive new tools + spaces
Globalizing symbols,
uniting, multiplying scale
of disparate demands

6. Disrupting Private ‐‐ Public
“Our political revolutions
will not succeed unless
they are accompanied by
revolutions of thought –
social, sexual, and cultural
revolutions that topple
the Mubareks of our
minds as well as our
bedrooms.” Mona Eltahawy,
2012 “Why do they hate us?”

7. Disrupting
norms, roles,
“morals” ‐
bodies, sex,
sexuality

8. Disrupting Taboos, Mobilizing Sex

9. All about power
• Relational, dynamic
• Socialized, internalized, institutionalized
• Good v bad? depends on purpose
• Think “physics”
• Power over vs. to, with, within, for
• 3 faces of power over: visible‐shadow‐invisible

11. Power over & transformative power
Power Over
wealth, exploitation;
dominance + control
via violence or threat
of violence;
accumulate MORE
power with systemic
exclusion,
discrimination
Seen as win‐lose,
zero sum game
Power Within
hope + belief in what’s
possible; self‐esteem; respect
for difference/ dignity; hope;
passion for change; empathy
Power With
Common ground across
differences; unity + collective
strength; shared struggle;
mutual support, solidarity &
collaboration
Power To
unique potential of every; agency
person to shape her life + world;
to question, resist, make a difference

12. Individual: realms of power
• Public (roles + relationships in public life, social
structures)
• Private (roles + relationships in family, friends,
marriage)
• Intimate (relationship to self, self‐esteem + sense
of one’s own body)
Often contradictory + confusing – women’s
movement‐building must work at all levels

13. Power over & Change strategies
Visible – formal
structures of
decision‐making
Hidden
(shadow)
behind the
scenes
Invisible –
beliefs norms,
desires,
ideologies
“Inside” strategies: Lobbying, advocacy +
reforming political institutions
Mass‐based mobilization, campaigns +
“outside” strategies using media to
disrupt + shift discourse, name & shame,
reveal truths, alternative agendas
Hearts + minds: critical consciousness,
education to question power, dominant
ideas + norms, resist + create alternative
forms of power; communicate alternatives
to appeal to human connection; gender‐
race‐ class‐ability‐sexuality

15. Empowerment  assume conflict

16. Disrupt internalized beliefs
• Power to…
(agency, capacity
to act)
• Power
within…(dignity,
self‐esteem)

17. Disrupt shame = demand respect

18. Disrupt victimhood – joy as action

19. Power with…
(collective,
solidarity,
safety)

20. Democracy as demand + practice

22. Women disrupt the frontlines

23. Disrupt fear + silence

24. Disrupt sexism in movements

25. Disrupt feminist myths

26. Disobedience, in the eyes
of anyone who has read
history, is woman’s virtue.
It is through disobedience
that progress has been
made, through
disobedience and through
rebellion.
– Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)