Framing feminism in Eurasia: bottom-up practices of de- and re-politicisation

In many countries around the world, feminist politics are marginalised or face resistance from governments and societies alike – and this is also the case in post-socialist Eurasia. Moreover, gender-related discourses in this region are dominated by international donors, which promote a one-size-fits-all, neoliberal approach based on universal human rights and gender equality as a means for democracy promotion. In recent years, however, a new generation of small-scale, grassroots feminist initiatives has emerged which are oriented towards social justice, and more sensitive than donors towards local realities. Theoretically, drawing on insights from framing theory, the paper explores the artistic practices and creative communicative strategies deployed by these grassroots groups to advance their agendas - be it through depoliticisation (to reach a broader audience and avoid backlash), or repoliticisation (to disrupt dominant discourses in society). Empirically, it studies how grassroots feminist groups re-imagine gender roles in challenging socio-cultural and political contexts through artistic and creative tactics. Three case studies are provided: Tell me Sister from Tajikistan which highlights the issue of sexual harassment; Feminist Peace Collective which spreads a feminist peace discourse in Azerbaijan; and Uyat Emes whose goal is to change attitudes on sexual education in Kazakhstan. We investigate creative framing practices which allow these groups to synthesise intersectional feminist thinking with the national contexts where they operate. Moreover, we discuss the dilemmas arising from activists’ use of particular visuals and concepts to advance a feminist agenda. Overall, this paper contributes to ongoing discussions about the localisation of feminist politics in Eurasia.