Civil Society and ‘Women’s Movements’ in Post-Communist Europe. Main Trends and Results 25 Years after the Fall of Communism
Civil Society and ‘Women’s Movements’ in Post-Communist Europe. Main Trends and Results 25 Years after the Fall of Communism

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to argue the thesis that, 25 years after the fall of communism, with the exception of former Yugoslavia, there has been and still is, a lack of „women’s movements“ in the post-communist countries. The author also proposes some explanations as to why there are dozens of women’s organizations but no women’s movements. In order to support her thesis, the author emphasizes the difference between „women’s movements“, „feminist movements“ and „social movements“, and shows the weakness of some current definitions. Instead of a definition, the author indicates the conditions for a women’s movement, which are: (1.) women’s oppression and discrimination as a prevalent situation, which motivates a movement when that situation is perceived as intolerable; (2.) ideas and concrete strategies on how to proceed in order to change this situation; (3.) some kind of organization or leading personalities, able to coordinate and unite women in a mass movement and to ensure continuity of action until the goals of the movement are achieved; and (4.) large masses of women who are motivated and ready to fight resolutely for changing their situation. The provided analyses show that these conditions have not been always given but that the persisting problems of women’s problems can be resolved only if women engage more actively in civil society so as to enforce their claims.

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