Politics 330: Indigenous Feminisms in the Americas

Since the rise of the “third wave,” feminists have sought to problematize the centrality of the  “White Western Woman” in classical feminism. Among these approaches are alternative  feminisms developed from the unique experiences and struggles of Indigenous women in the  Americas. These Indigenous activists and scholars have challenged the exclusion of their histories  and voices within hegemonic feminist traditions. This course explores the work of pioneer figures  from Domitila Barrios de Chungara (Bolivia) and Rigoberta Menchú (Guatemala) to the Zapatista  women (Mexico). As we read texts by and about Indigenous women, we will explore the  relationship between Indigenous feminisms and other feminist traditions; the unique concepts of  indigeneity, gender, and class in these movements; and the reasons that Indigenous feminists connect women’s struggles to the broader resistance struggles of Indigenous communities. May be taken for credit toward the Gender Studies major or minor or the Indigeneity, Race, and Ethnicity Studies major or minor.