LLAS 322 Central American Feminisms and Social Movements
Central American feminisms have been an integral dimension to struggles against imperialism, dictatorship, and globalization across the Isthmus. This course will examine the development of Central American feminisms beginning with the revolutionary period of the 1970s and 80s up to the present. We will explore feminist epistemologies and cultures of resistance, looking at how feminists make interventions through artistic practices. We will examine the transnational dimension of feminist organizing in the region, looking at how shared histories and dialogues shape how Central American women theorize about feminism through their lived experiences. To do so, we will study critical texts written by feminist writers and collectives, historical testimonios as well as feminist cultural productions such as music and art. We will also explore how global discourses touch down and shape Central American women’s political claims as well as how Central American feminists influence international organizations and global conceptions of human rights. Topics we will explore include contemporary regional histories and women’s roles in social change, gendered violence and femicide, reproductive rights, memory and artivism, and motherhood as a political identity.