Women''s Movements in Iceland: Towards a More Inclusive Society?

This paper compares and contrasts the Icelandic Feminist Association (founded 2003) with the Women’s List (active 1980-1999) and the Red Stockings movement (approximately 1965-1980) and explores the way in which these movements made an impact on women''s citizenship and inclusion in their respective eras. Interviews will be conducted with leading women from each movement and public discourse of each era analyzed to explore how these movements influenced and were influenced by the zeitgeist. The underlying research question is if and how the Feminist Association has drawn upon the lessons of the previous movements, and how the combined efforts of these movements have impacted women’s rights and gender equality in Iceland. A phenomenological approach is employed, using qualitative interviews to reflect upon the lived experiences of the women interviewed.