Push Back, Move Forward : The National Council of Women's Organizations and Coalition Advocacy

An in-depth explanation of the origin, workings, strengths and weaknesses of the National Council of Women’s Organizations The coalition known as the National Council of Women's Organizations no longer exists today, but the history and the lessons learned from the NCWO's activism remain as important as ever—perhaps even more so in this age of Trump. Laura Woliver spent fifteen years doing fieldwork and conducting research and interviews to understand how the NCWO coalition group functioned. The result is her impressive study, Push Back, Move Forward. Woliver explores the foundational work of the NCWO and member groups to promote women's economic security, citizen status, and political rights. She investigates women's access to previously “male only” organizations, such as private clubs; the increase in voter participation generated by measures such as early voting; advocacy campaigns for such benefit programs as Social Security and the Affordable Care Act; and global human and women's rights activism. In addition, she examines the accomplishments of women of color, both alongside and within the NCWO, who orient their politics toward achieving justice and attaining rights. Push Back, Move Forward artfully documents this important group's activities while also gleaning larger lessons about coalition organizations. Contents Preface Acknowledgments List of Acronyms and Abbreviations 1. Introduction: Easier in Groups; The American Women's Movement and the National Council of Women's Organizations 2. Precursors: Genders, Matrixes, and Coalitions 3. More Than the Sum of the Parts: NCWO History and Structure 4. Master Narratives While the Masters Golf 5. Working the Gender Gap: The NCWO and Voter Engagement, 2006–2014 (with Annie Boiter-Jolley, coauthor) 6. Gender and Safety Nets: Reforming and Saving Social Security 7. Health Care Reform: Being a Woman Is Not a Preexisting Condition 8. The NCWO and Global Feminism Conclusion. Pushing Back Neoliberal Agendas via Women's Coalitional Activism Appendix A. Interviews Conducted as of December 12, 2016 Appendix B. NCWO Meetings Attended Appendix C. NCWO-Related Events Attended and Observed Appendix D. Interviews, Meetings, and Observations by Year Notes References Index "Push Back, Move Forward is based on 10 years of work studying the coalition dynamics of the National Council of Women's Organizations in Washington, DC, examining when, how, and why that organization has been successful or failed on specific issues, and gleaning larger lessons about coalition organizations"-- Provided by publisher