Between National and International: Women's Transnational Activism in Twentieth-Century Chile. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lanfranco González, María Fernanda
• Editors: Donert, Celia; Moll-Murata, Christine
• Is Part Of: International review of social history. Volume 67(2022)Supplement 30
• Page Start: 49
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Social history -- Periodicals; Social history -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 306.09005
• DOI: 10.1017/S0020859021000687
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-8590

Abstract

Abstract: This article explores the transnational dimension of women's mobilization in twentieth-century Chile and the connections they established with women's international non-governmental organizations, particularly the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). It sheds light on the political choices women made when forging transnational alliances to expand and make their activism more effective, together with the material and ideological dynamics that shaped their collaboration. The article analyses this topic by focusing on key but little-explored figures of women's activism in Chile – especially, but not solely, feminist academic Olga Poblete – and their personal communications with the leadership of women's organizations in the US and Europe. The article contends that, although both the WILPF and WIDF shared strengths and weaknesses in promoting their ideas and establishing links with activists in Chile, the alliances that Chilean women chose to pursue were mostly defined by their own political priorities and local contexts.