NEOLIBERALISM AND ITS IMPACT ON THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND : where have... all the feminists gone?

This book investigates how neoliberalism shaped the women’s movement in Aotearoa/New Zealand from the mid-1980s to late 2010s and looks at the future of the movement. Based on an empirical study that encompasses the three levels of the movement―individualised feminism, the work of women’s organisations, and state feminism―it explores how neoliberal rationality, promoted by governments over three decades, has impacted feminist identification and activism as well as political opportunities for organisations and institutions working within the movement. Exploring the diversity of feminist voices, the author analyses intersectional, (post)colonial and intergenerational debates within the movement in the context of neoliberalism’s influence on feminist values and strategies, and examines whether neoliberal rationality succeeded in depoliticising, individualising and fragmenting the movement. The book comes to the conclusion that despite some severe drawbacks, internal conflicts and changes of strategies, the women’s movement in Aotearoa/New Zealand has survived the impact of neoliberalism. This book will be of interest to scholars of Gender Studies, Sociology, Political Science, and Women’s History, as well as feminist activists. Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Abbreviations List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction Women’s Movements and Their Political Opportunities Conceptualising Women’s Movements Political Opportunities Empirical Foundation Interviews Content Analysis of Websites Content Analysis of Documents Feminism, Neoliberalism and Colonialism in Aotearoa/New Zealand Neoliberalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand Colonialism in Aotearoa/New Zealand Outline of the Book References Chapter 2: Neoliberalism and its Relationships with Feminism, Intersectionality and Postcolonialism Understanding Neoliberalism Neoliberalism and Feminism Neoliberalism and the Feminist Movement Neoliberalism and the Erasure of Feminism Third Wave Feminism and Neoliberalism Feminist Neoliberalism? Neoliberalism and Intersectionality Neoliberalism and Postcolonialism A Triangular Relationship Colonialism and the Feminist Movement Colonialism and Intersectionality References Chapter 3: The Story so Far The First Wave Movement The Long Fight for Suffrage Māori Women and the Vote The Second Wave Movement From Sisterhood to Fragmentation Diversity Within the Second Wave Movement The Third Wave Movement A Generational Shift State Feminism Until the Mid-2010s State Feminism and Women’s Diversity The Fourth Wave Movement What’s New? The Significance of Digital Feminism A New Political Era Four Waves, One Movement? References Chapter 4: Feminist Foundations Herstories Growing Up University Male-Dominated Environments Experiences of Violence Influential People and Events Evolving Identities The Meanings of Feminism This Is What a Feminist Looks Like! What Is Feminism? Equality for Whom? Negotiating Differences Inclusiveness Talking About Generations Difficult Relationships Ungrateful Youth? Online Activism Sex-Positivity Neoliberal Rationality and Feminist Understandings References Chapter 5: Individualised Feminism Forms of Individualised Feminism Feminist Bubbles Self-improvement Educating Others Individualism Within Collective Events: SlutWalk The Personal and the Political Individualised Feminism Under Neoliberalism References Chapter 6: Organisational Feminism Changed Opportunities for Organisations Professionalism and Formalisation Fighting for Funding Between Fragmentation and Inclusiveness Biculturalism, Multiculturalism and Parallel Developments Difficult Differences Neoliberal Effects on Organisational Work References Chapter 7: State Feminism The Difficult Position of State Feminism How Feminists View the Government How Feminists View State Feminism The Work of Government Departments: Gender Mainstreaming? ‘Hidden’ Women The Work of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Strategic Priorities Acknowledging Differences? ‘Dear Government, Please Do ...’ Specific Suggestions Funding Priorities General Wishes State Feminism in a Neoliberal State References Chapter 8: This Is What a Women’s Movement Looks Like (in Neoliberal Times) Neoliberal Struggles Individualisation? Depolitisation? Fragmentation? Hiding the Movement Finding the Movement Mobilising ‘Women’ Sustaining Through Abeyance Making Claims on Women’s Behalf Connecting the Three Levels of the Movement Looking Forwards References Appendix Glossary of Māori Words Index