Se Non Ora Quando? Formation processes, discourses and practices of a new italian female movement

• Applicant: Dr. Marion Näser-Lather
• Subject Area: Social and Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 261003459

On February 13, 2011, in Italy nationwide demonstrations against prime minister Sivlio Berlusconi took place under the motto Se non ora quando, if not now, when then?Subsequently, a new women¿s movement emerged under the same name with currently over 60 active local groups which also coordinate their work on the regional and local level. Se Non Ora Quando (hereafter SNOQ) wants to influence societal perceptions of gender and related politics and is actively engaged in current socio-political fields such as compatibility of family and profession, the modification of societal rooted gender role stereotypes, the improvement of the political participation of women and against domestic violence and femicide.My project analyzes the so-far not ethnographically researched movement SNOQ on the basis of the following aspects: 1. Internal structuring and transformation processes: at the moment, SNOQ finds itself in a phase of upheaval during which structures, procedures and decision taking processes are negotiated anew. Those developments have to be analyzed on the national as well as the local level. Moreover, the question is relevant whether there exists a connection to the practices of the women¿s movement of the 1960s/70s.2. Self-positioning and linkages: The connections with current protest movements (such as the Indignados or Occupy) and the linkages to other Italian feminist groups and societal organizations (labor unions or parties) as well as political and religious positions are also to be scrutinized.3. Feminist approaches and goals: The analysis of the feminist theories to which the movement refers forms the background of the question of the concrete objectives of SNOQ and their connections to current problem areas, social dynamics and gender(role)constructions in Italy.4. Practices (of protest): The strategies and practices by which SNOQ tries to influence societal developments shall be examined, i.e. the forms of protest and communication of the movement, especially the role of the digital media and possible interdependences between media usage and internal discussions, practices and processes of organization building.The project contributes to gender and activism research and at the same time sheds light on the connection between mechanisms and dynamics of the use of communication and the negotiation of ideologies, objectives and the development of practices of protest and intern organization building processes of political protest movements. Moreover, sociocultural problem areas and changes of the gender concepts in Italy are illustrated by the discourses and practices of the movement SNOQ.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants