Feminist social movements and policy change: Devolution, childcare and domestic violence policies in Wales

Abstract

Synopsis This paper focuses on recent developments in Wales in order to explore the extent to which changes in the gendering of political institutions create new opportunities for social movements to influence policy change. We develop a conceptual framework which includes a consideration of the political and discursive opportunity structure, the way issues are framed, and the challenge posed by social movements in terms of redistribution. Using this framework, recent developments in Wales in the context of devolution are analysed. Particular attention is paid to the influence of social movement organisations on the policy-making process in relation to childcare and domestic violence, to the new political and discursive opportunity structures within which social movements are operating, and to the ways in which reframing of key issues within feminist social movements results in their incorporation into the policy agenda but, at the same time, marginalises more radical feminist voices.