Work Of Activists Research Articles

Anti‐Imperial Autoethnographies of Family Separation: Feminist Solidarities Against Imperial Bordering in the UK

AbstractAnti‐imperial autoethnography is an important practice for critiquing and reflecting upon encounters with imperial bordering and its junctions with the neoliberal‐corporate university. In this article, we analyse our children's visa rejections to the UK, where we work and study as immigrant academics. We argue that the Home Office's policy of what constitutes a child's “welfare” produces racialised, gendered, and classist processes through which children are legally estranged from their primary carer when they immigrate for work unaccompanied by the other parent. This heteropatriarchal policy disproportionately impacts working migrant mothers. Academic carers can be further impacted by corporate university practices that eschew institutional agency and responsibility, including by individualising interpretations of visa rejections or presuming to abstain wholesale from matters concerning migrant family welfare. We reflect on how transnational feminist friendships and solidarities challenge imperial bordering and the interfaces of border enforcement with academic institutions and spaces, and acknowledge the importance of ongoing activist work to abolish borders from within the university.

A Gladdening Vision of a Dancing Christ: Findings of a Ritual Ethnography of Intercultural Icons

The cultural renaissance in 20th-century India has fostered an aesthetic integration of contemplative mysticism with popular religious practices, influencing various artistic and theological movements. This paper examines Christian artist Joy Elamkunnapuzha’s use of Indian classical and mythical elements in his religious artworks, particularly in two North Indian churches. These intercultural icons, which incorporate symbols from Hindu traditions like mandalas and mudras, have been central to the worship practices of local Catholic communities for over three decades. Through ritual ethnography, the study reveals how these visual representations mediate ritual affectivity and communal imagination, impacting identity formation and spiritual engagement in a multi-religious context. Respondents—including worshippers, ministers, and religious students—attest to the transformative impact of these images, as they negotiate between Christian metaphors and Hindu aesthetic traditions. The research is grounded in practical theology, liturgical theology, and ritual studies, contributing to the works of Indian Christian cultural activists like Jyoti Sahi. By exploring the creative dynamics of visual approach, visual appeal, and visual affinity within worship spaces, the study elucidates the complex processes of meaning making through symbolic mediation in interreligious environments.

Activist work is care work: conceptualising resistance in Indonesia and the Philippines through feminist ethics

This article draws on interview data collected in 2021 from Indonesia and the Philippines to argue that activist work should fundamentally be understood as care work. The first part of the article advocates for a novel inductive theorisation of intersectional care ethics in social movement studies and activist-centred research. The second part of the article utilises this conceptual framework to discuss the paramount role of women in grassroots activist spaces both on the frontlines and behind the scenes. The stories of resistance by women activists, which comprise the core of this article, help to illustrate how the patriarchy and other structures of power may simultaneously be subverted and reproduced in grassroots community spaces.

Catholic Women’s Activism for Abortion in Late Twentieth-Century Mexico and Contests over Legitimacy

Building on recent research, this paper recounts the emergence of Catholic women’s activism in favor of the right to abortion in late twentieth-century Mexico. The article argues that contests over legitimacy—specifically, disputes among Catholics about which beliefs are legitimately Catholic—are central to this history. In this case, the article follows Catholic women’s attempts to legitimize their position in favor of the right to abortion and Catholic authorities’ attempts to delegitimize the same idea. The paper concludes with a 1992 episode in Guanajuato that has not received much scholarly attention, when secular and Catholic feminists collaborated. Because these Catholic activists faced opposition from angry protestors, they set up a press conference to dispel any misconceptions and legitimize their own Catholic position in favor of the right to abortion to the Mexican public. The resistance Elvia Neri, a retired Catholic woman and mayordoma for her church, faced led her to share her testimonio, a rare archival source that publicly reconciled a commitment to both the Catholic faith and reproductive rights. Scholarship on feminist mobilization has at least included the work of Catholic activists who advocated the right to abortion. However, these contests over legitimacy have led scholarship on Catholic women’s activism to neglect Catholic perspectives that favor the right to abortion.

Postcolonial city walks in Germany at the nexus of activism, education, and tourism

Abstract In various ways, postcolonial initiatives in Germany contribute to the formation of ‘national cultures of remembrance’ and to the debate about Europe’s responsibility for the negative effects of colonial expansion that can still be felt today. One approach, which the activist groups use in their educational and activist work, is that of the guided walking tour – a method that allows them to sensitize an interested audience to colonially contoured spaces in German cities. Interestingly, the postcolonial initiatives do not see themselves as providers of tourist services, even though they use the rather fundamental touristic form of the ‘city walk’. As this discrepancy in perception allows discussions about tourism in a more general, conceptual sense, this paper examines the tours at the nexus of activism, education, and tourism. Thereby, it asks what constitutes the walks and discusses their relation to urban tourism. To do so, the article first explains relevant concepts of tourism geographies and postcolonial studies and then connects them to insights gained from the qualitative and quantitative analysis of empirical data collected in a field phase in Germany in 2022.

Critically unlearning about madness and distress: Reflections on social work education and activism in Ireland

This article draws from my involvement in critical social work education and my position as an aspiring ally of the Mad movement in the Irish context. I use a reflexive auto-critique as a methodology to consider a significant shift in my engagement with Mad matters which has led to new ways of (un)learning critically about madness and distress in education and activism. This is a shift from celebrating criticality and inclusion strategies, and in particular service-user involvement in education, to problematising criticality and its potential to perpetuate power inequalities within mental health and education systems. It is a shift from viewing critical education as a process of knowing about distress and Mad people to a process of knowing with and from Mad people, service-users, and survivors. The emerging field of Mad Studies provides a conceptual framework to inquire about knowledge and knowers, to consider issues of co-option and epistemic injustice, to focus on pedagogies for unlearning, to ask questions about representational politics and the complexities of being an engaged academic and Mad positive ally. Guided by Mad Studies as a mode of analysis, I recognise that inclusion of madness in university curricula can work in ways that continue to pathologise and subjugate Mad people. This is an unsettling recognition that leads to an interrogation of my own praxis as an academic and an aspiring ally of the Mad moment. I propose that prefigurative politics are central in these considerations as genuine engagements with mental health matters need to model the changes we aim to achieve. Engaging with the tensions of inclusion politics, the complexities of madness, and the unsettledness this engagement generates, can be a source of knowing through epistemic humility and a resource for networks of solidarity.

Applying human rights approaches in social work education through incorporating practitioner involvement and social work activism in classroom settings

ABSTRACT As a practice-based profession, the application of human rights approaches situated within a radical and critical lens is the focus of this article. It is suggested in this article that human rights can be considered a feature in both the practice and the result of radical social work. Through the use of a case study example of social work activism in Ireland, this article aims to describe how the involvement of practitioners in social work education modules, who are involved in human rights-based campaigns, can be utilized as a tangible way to show social work students the application of human rights-based approaches to the practice of social work in the field.

“We have a damn duty”

Abstract This article presents a case study of Ciocia Wienia, a collective of activists who facilitate abortion travel between Poland and Austria and provide support and interpretation in abortion clinics in Vienna. Drawing on a framework based on activist translation and motivational psychology, we investigate the factors that compel activist interpreters to join the collective and motivate their commitment to this activist work. Our study is based on a corpus of thirteen qualitative interviews with members and associates of the collective. The activists’ commitment is grounded in a range of purpose- and task-centred motivators, including their desire to respond to perceived gender-based injustice; to actively participate in society and be a member of a community of practice sharing the same pro-choice beliefs; to empower both oneself and individuals who need help; and to do good and feel satisfaction resulting from one’s work.

Living Activism – Critical Social Policy introduction

Critical Social Policy ( CSP) proudly launches the Journal’s Living Activism Section. This co-produced introduction to the Living Activism section of CSP, includes the ongoing impact of the CSP Solidarity Fund, lessons from the 2023 CSP gathering ‘Learning with Solidarity Funded Activist Groups’ and an account by the Solidarity Funded activists Women and Digital Inclusion (WODIN). The Living Activism section of CSP is rooted in and continues to grow in the soil of activist’s situated knowledge. What is clear is that the ‘critical’ of critical social policy happens at the grassroots. The aims of the Living Activism section of CSP are focussed on drawing out the learning from the lived experience of activist work, including the inherent challenges, tensions and victories of resistance and transformation for social justice. The Living Activism section of CSP is an integral part of decolonisation. We are clear that to decolonise does not mean to diversify or increase variety, rather it is a questioning and taking action to redress which actors are privileged and placed at the centre.

Impact of Islamophobic myths on Indian healthcare

This paper explores how anti-Muslim myths, particularly the related neo-eugenic ideas of ‘population jihad,’ ‘love jihad,’ and ‘corona jihad’, work to stigmatise Muslims in India. I discuss how these ideas,...

Prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases in rural India amongst peri- and post-menopausal women: Can artificial intelligence help in early identification?

AimsTo identify peri- and post-menopausal women at risk of non-communicable diseases in rural India and to assess their prevalence amongst these groups via the use of artificial intelligence. Settings and designAn observational study conducted by the Indian Menopause Society in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra. The study included rural women residents of three villages in the Latur district of Maharashtra, India. Materials and methodsAccredited social health activist workers identified 400 peri- and post-menopausal women aged 45–60 years. Specific symptoms able to predict the presence of a non-communicable disease were identified through the use of artificial intelligence. Statistical analysis usedDescriptive statistics and predictive network charts analysis. ResultsThe mean age of 316 women included in the analysis was 50.4 years and the majority of them were illiterate (68 %). The prevalence of dyslipidaemia, osteopenia, diabetes mellitus, obesity and hypertension were 58 %, 50 %, 25 %, 25 %, and 20 % respectively. None of their symptoms or laboratory reports could be significantly correlated directly with any of these non-communicable diseases. Hence, we used a cluster of symptoms to suggest the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and hypothyroidism via predictive network analysis charts. ConclusionsScreening of at-risk women can be done using an artificial intelligence-based screening tool for early diagnosis, timely referral and treatment of non-communicable diseases with the support of community health workers.

Editors’ Introduction

Abstract “Troubling Terms and the Sex Trades” assembles writings from scholars, sex workers, and activists, each of whom interrogates a troubled term and its place in the history of prostitution. This introduction discusses the “keyword” tradition of historical genealogies advanced by Raymond Williams and its utility for assessing critical categories that inform historical studies and current political debates on prostitution. The essay reviews the historiography of prostitution as it has focused on troubling terms, mostly centered specifically on the categories of sex work and trafficking. The essay goes on to introduce the components of this special issue: the first section, Reflections, presents short first-person accounts by sex worker activists, advocates, and scholars regarding a critical keyword they have worked with or resisted. The second section, Features, presents longer essays that interrogate the terms sex work, demand, white slavery, red-light district, restricted area, and decriminalization. Finally, Curated Spaces explores the history of the red umbrella as a visual term that has developed as a global symbol for sex worker rights.

Prostitute

Abstract “Reflections” are short essays by sex work activists, scholars, and advocates about their personal experiences with a “troubling term” of their choice. They are exemplary of a methodological approach that never takes for granted the histories, legacies, and effects of linguistic choices.

ETHNOCULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF PAMIR-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MIGRATION PROCESSES

The article determines the place of mother tongues in the life of Pamir-speaking communities, their transformation and functioning at different stages of the migration process. It outlines features that enhance our understanding of the phenomenon of Pamir diaspora. The linguistic and cultural priorities of diasporic Pamir communities are identified in light of their linguistic ideology, and ethno-religious and cultural perspectives. To study the dynamics of language life in different contexts, data on language biographies are presented, together with an analysis of the work of grassroots activists, who, by their lingua-cultural creativity, are involved in promoting their cultural and linguistic heritage, thus demonstrating their sociolinguistic rights. Analysis of the mother tongue – an important marker of the community’s socio-cultural life – reveals that Pamir languages lie at the core of the community’s cultural heritage, its spiritual and material traditions. These languages fulfil reproductive, creative and existential-ethical functions, acting as a reference point for socio-cultural practices that stimulate the revival of local culture and support the preservation of traditional cultural values. The prospects for the functioning, development and preservation of Pamir languages in the diaspora are considered.

The Resilience of Caste through Yashica Dutt’s Coming Out as Dalit: A Memoir (2019)

India, the largest democracy in the world, has experienced important social advances since its independence in 1947, such as the abolition of untouchability, one of the oldest forms of social segregation and discrimination whose major victims have been the Dalits. The situation of Dalits has undergone a series of changes in the second half of the 20th century due to various phenomena, including the industrialisation of India, the influential social work of Dalit activists and thinkers such as B. R. Ambedkar, and the passing of legal provisions for Dalits’ social inclusion, political emancipation and protection of rights. All these factors, along with a relative democratisation of education, have prompted this historically oppressed group to build a voice.
 
 Since then, Dalit literature has progressively become a platform through which past and present injustices committed against this community are exposed. Lately, the impact that democracy has had on the lives of Dalits has been a questioned topic and Yashica Dutt’s Coming Out as Dalit: A Memoir (2019) is an interesting gateway to it. The author’s gender and geographical position and her particular experience with ‘Dalithood’ result in an unusual but necessary insight into Dalits’ state of affairs in contemporary India. Thus, using Dutt’s memoir as a lens, this paper aims to examine the conditions that led to the perpetuation of a learned helplessness among Dalits, the shortcomings of Sanskritisation as an escape strategy from casteist stigma and the implications of the reservation system set for India’s Depressed Castes.

‘Rocking the boat’ at the boundaries of social work practice

The response to the immigration crisis of 2015 raised issues about how social work as a profession in the UK was responding to what was unfolding in Calais, France. This article draws on evidence from a qualitative study conducted between 2018 and 2020 that analysed the narratives of 13 front-line local authority social workers’ experiences of volunteering with a charity. It was found that social workers were motivated to volunteer with the charity due to its commitment to social work’s core values of social justice and human rights through a radical social work approach and activism on issues affecting asylum seekers and refugees. This article highlights the opportunities for an alternative social work practice and recommends ways of embedding this in social work practice and education.

Assessment and Grading of Accredited Social Health Activist Workers Based on Simulation, Awareness, and Writing Skills in Urban and Rural Karnataka: A Comparative Study

Abstract Introduction: Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers and their activities are regarded as a critical component linking the community and health-care facilities. They are the cornerstone of the Indian public health-care system responsible for spreading awareness and recommending preventive measures in the community. This study aims to assess the awareness, writing skills, and practical-based performance of the ASHA workers in urban and rural Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among ASHA workers in rural and urban Mysore district. A multistage sampling technique was adopted for selecting the participants. The ASHA workers were asked to fill out a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. An unpaired t-test was used for inferential statistics. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the workers in urban areas was 36.38 ± 5.877 years, while in rural, it was 41.53 ± 6.755 years. The overall average score for rural ASHA workers was more (70.49 ± 14.018) when compared to the urban ASHAs (65 ± 13.400). The average years of experience were 6.14 ± 1.44 years in urban and 10.5 ± 2.66 years in rural areas. The daily working hours ranged from 3 to 10 h in urban and 2 to 10 h among rural ASHA workers. Conclusion: The overall score of rural ASHA workers was higher when compared to urban ASHAs. Even though the grading and performance of the ASHA workers were good, their expertise in identifying and tackling life-threatening conditions remains inadequate. This can be improved with more vigilant and periodic training and monitoring along with periodic recruitment at regular intervals.

Exploring the relationship between legislative theatre and critical participatory action research

ABSTRACT In this paper, we argue that Legislative Theatre processes, as presented by Boal in his book Legislative Theatre: Using Performance to Make Politics and initially implemented in Rio de Janeiro in 90’, can be considered (Critical Participatory) Action Research processes and conducted as such – depending on the approach of the process leader and their consciousness. We present the scope of Legislative Theatre as part of the techniques of the Theatre of the Oppressed, and we outline the common origins of Legislative Theatre and Action Research in the work of Freire, Boal, Moreno, and Lewin. We explore similarities and differences between their ideas to show where they are convergent and where they are not. In doing so, we aim to highlight the importance of the Action Research perspective for enhancing the work of social activists using Legislative Theatre. We consider the possible benefits and costs of such integration, and we conclude the paper with recommendations for further research.

The American Wasteland: Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs on the Ecology of Racialization

ABSTRACT Recent years have seen an increasing recognition of the necessity to historicize and conceptualize ecological degradation in relation to capitalist and racist regimes of exploitation, epitomized by the popular concept of the “racial Capitalocene.” While constituting an important effort to move beyond a color-blind environmentalism and class analysis, many of these accounts tend to abstract away from the place- and time-determined specificities of contemporary racial capitalism. This paper reconstructs the ecological thought latently present in the work of revolutionary theorists, activists, and life-long partners Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs to explore an alternative analysis. It shows that, as part of their analysis of automation of the capitalist production process, the Boggses developed a powerful account of environmental harm alongside social deprivation. Extrapolating their concepts of social and material “waste” and “wastelands,” this paper argues that James and Grace Lee Boggs saw racist exploitation and ecological harm as intimately tied to the capitalist processes of valorization and devaluation. It shows that there emerges from their conjunctural analysis a novel theory of ecological racialization as well as some concrete implications for anti-capitalist, antiracist, and ecological struggles.

Dossier—Negotiating Urban Spaces: Access, Care and Confinement in Contemporary Gendered Performance

This dossier explores the ways in which theatre and performance practitioners across the globe have addressed the deeply gendered modes of differential access to public spaces, institutional support, and resources through their creative as well as activist work, during the pandemic and its aftermath. In the last three years, the pandemic has transformed experiences of urban space globally. Access to public space has always been gendered as well as shaped by geographical location, race, caste, class and sexual identity. These traditional modes of differential access have been radically reorganized by the isolation and uncertainty engendered by the global pandemic. While ‘working from home’ was certainly not an option for everyone (most notably, care-workers in an overwhelmingly feminized profession), confinement to domestic space also meant escalating incidents of gendered violence for others. Additionally, the lack of sustainable income opportunities meant, as contributions to this dossier will demonstrate, the stripping away of roofs from over the heads of vulnerable citizens, whether impoverished artistes in want of state support or migrant workers on an uncertain daily wage. Staying at home was no longer an option, because ‘home’ often ceased to exist as a viable shelter, whether literally or by implication. For performers and theatre-workers all over the world, it was a time of intensified precarity: not only a loss of employment and income, but also a growing sense of artistic and professional purposelessness. While some were able to reorient this bewilderment through virtual and digital performances, for many grassroots performers, especially in the global South, access to these modes of public engagement were limited. In countries like India, street theatre activists felt unable and unwilling to switch to the digital space, while the prohibition on public assembly struck an irrevocable blow to women's protest movements.