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"Drawing the line" and other small scale resistances : Exploring agency and ambiguity in transnational feminist and queer NGOs

Liinason, Mia LU (2021) In International Feminist Journal of Politics 23(1). p.102-124
Abstract
This article explores the discourses, actors, and cross-border exchanges that
shape the broader landscape of contemporary transnational feminist and
queer non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While several studies have
pointed to the co-opted role of NGOs, fewer have explored the potential for
NGOs to influence the conditions under which they operate. That is what this
article sets out to do, with the goal of highlighting the potential for feminist
and queer NGOs to engage in oppositional politics within contexts of
neoliberalism. Based on material collected during ethnographic fieldwork with
transnational feminist and queer NGOs, this article examines how NGOs
position themselves in relation to the... (More)
This article explores the discourses, actors, and cross-border exchanges that
shape the broader landscape of contemporary transnational feminist and
queer non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While several studies have
pointed to the co-opted role of NGOs, fewer have explored the potential for
NGOs to influence the conditions under which they operate. That is what this
article sets out to do, with the goal of highlighting the potential for feminist
and queer NGOs to engage in oppositional politics within contexts of
neoliberalism. Based on material collected during ethnographic fieldwork with
transnational feminist and queer NGOs, this article examines how NGOs
position themselves in relation to the political and financial structures that
condition their work; how and to what effect the emerging professional class
of NGO activists navigate the contradictory landscapes within which they are
located; and the ambiguities of cross-border exchanges among NGOs. The
article shows examples of agency and small-scale resistance, but also
illuminates the palpable risks of existing neoliberal tendencies among funders
and NGOs. I conclude that transnational feminist and queer NGOs have much
to gain from intervening more decisively in such ambiguities as those
examined in this article. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Feminism, queer, NGOs, transnational, neoliberalism
in
International Feminist Journal of Politics
volume
23
issue
1
pages
102 - 124
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85088093403
ISSN
1468-4470
DOI
10.1080/14616742.2020.1775489
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
021e5351-b08c-49dd-b8ef-1f6a7ba2d5da
date added to LUP
2022-03-30 07:29:25
date last changed
2023-05-10 14:07:17
@article{021e5351-b08c-49dd-b8ef-1f6a7ba2d5da,
  abstract     = {{This article explores the discourses, actors, and cross-border exchanges that<br/>shape the broader landscape of contemporary transnational feminist and<br/>queer non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While several studies have<br/>pointed to the co-opted role of NGOs, fewer have explored the potential for<br/>NGOs to influence the conditions under which they operate. That is what this<br/>article sets out to do, with the goal of highlighting the potential for feminist<br/>and queer NGOs to engage in oppositional politics within contexts of<br/>neoliberalism. Based on material collected during ethnographic fieldwork with<br/>transnational feminist and queer NGOs, this article examines how NGOs<br/>position themselves in relation to the political and financial structures that<br/>condition their work; how and to what effect the emerging professional class<br/>of NGO activists navigate the contradictory landscapes within which they are<br/>located; and the ambiguities of cross-border exchanges among NGOs. The<br/>article shows examples of agency and small-scale resistance, but also<br/>illuminates the palpable risks of existing neoliberal tendencies among funders<br/>and NGOs. I conclude that transnational feminist and queer NGOs have much<br/>to gain from intervening more decisively in such ambiguities as those<br/>examined in this article.}},
  author       = {{Liinason, Mia}},
  issn         = {{1468-4470}},
  keywords     = {{Feminism; queer; NGOs; transnational; neoliberalism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{102--124}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Feminist Journal of Politics}},
  title        = {{"Drawing the line" and other small scale resistances : Exploring agency and ambiguity in transnational feminist and queer NGOs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14616742.2020.1775489}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/14616742.2020.1775489}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}