Feminism

Thanks to energetic grassroots campaigning and a steady shift in social attitudes, women in Ireland have finally won the right to choose whether to have child or not.

We spoke to feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem about the far-right backlash, racism & why we should be “linked, not ranked”.

A broad coalition seems to be gathering pace in Ireland, and extending far beyond the country’s borders, calling for a reform of Ireland’s abortion laws – the most stringent in Europe. A courageous campaign combined with a shift in public attitudes could mean real change is finally on the horizon.

The idea of Europe becomes much more than simply an idea when people, overcoming the uncertainty – if not outright hostility – of states, act according to borderless solidarity.

This spring, Barcelona has become, once again, the battleground for the radical soul of Europe. Mayor-Elect of Barcelona, Ada Colau lays out her vision; with comments from Susanne Rieger, President of the Green European Foundation.

The national elections in Sweden on September 14th, 2014, were a victory for the parties at the fringes, with the Feminist Initiative and the far-right Sweden Democrats both witnessing a surge in support, while the parties in government lost out. For the Greens it was a mixed outcome – disappointing results overall, yet also bringing a chance to enter the government for the first time.

The polarised results of the European elections seem to indicate that new kinds of parties are replacing the traditional parties. This phenomenon was visible in Sweden, but also in many other countries across Europe.

Reflecting on contemporary and historical debates on the concept of ‘solidarity’ in Sweden, Per Gahrton finds conflicting views on what many take to be a simple concept.

Blonde young women stripping off their shirts to protest for… women’s rights.

Austerity in Britain has a face. That face is female. That face is a mother of a dependent child. A mother with a job – although a job she may well lose in the next couple of years through no fault of her own. A very poor paying, part-time job, renting at high cost in the private sector, in a home that’s poorly insulated and expensive to heat.