Sukob na feminističkoj...
Conflict among Feminists...

Summary/Abstract: The importance of events on women's feminist scene in Croatia has gained space in the editorial, and it involves complex processes of building network of women's and feminist organisations, and especially, on the network's political involvement. The reason for this was the conflict about the women candidates who ran for the past presidential elections in Croatia, and it involved the Croatian Women's Network and B.a.B.e., one of the oldest and most influential organisations within the network. The conflict was superficially resolved with B.a.B.e. leaving the network. The author of the editorial defines the true causes for this course of events. She provides a brief historic overview of the formation, growth and development of the Network. Namely, at the time of the Network formation, the difference between "little" and "big" groups, old and new ones, even Zagreb's and other ones, was apparent. "Little" and new, non-Zagreb groups were often created out of protest, often out of despair, and the least out of a developed consciousness on women's issues in general, and the need for political women's movement. In majority of cases it was a reaction to immediate, to put it mildly, difficulties. Other groups had years of experience already (by all means, their prominent "leader" members), closeness to the information, contacts, and (at last, but not the least) the money. However, the interest to direct and unite attention, energy and work towards truly important, existential problems of women in Croatia was a motive and guiding light. In the process, everyone grew together - "little ones", the Network, and the "big" ones, as well. The core of the conflict is defining (or, better to say, setting the boundaries for) the area of work and actions, and declaring the rights to those. What was visible, and not only between the lines, is overlapping of action domains for the Network and group B.a.B.e. Namely, there is one job-election actions, election politics - and at least two groups with an intention to deal with it: the Women's Network Croatia and B.a.B.e. On conscious or unconscious level, B.a.B.e. group members feel that the Network framework is too tight. The sense of one's own greatness and importance seeks adequate treatment in public, and also special, separated position. After all, this conclusion was not difficult to reach. There is a number of B.a.B.e. members' statements, in media and electronic conferences, revealing the very same tendency. By all means, with slight difficulties in the public, when it comes to credibility of both sides, the Women's Network Croatia remains to be important organisation in women's politics, and politics in general, in Croatia.

• Details
• Contents