Dynamics of Gender and Politics in Latin America

This section will explore the dynamic intersection of gender and institutional politics in Latin America by exploring three main axes: the status of gender rights and its contestations, the presence of women in representative institutions and research and analysis methods. We aim to generate meaningful dialogue and welcome contributions from scholars, activists and policymakers to foster a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities for gender equality in the region. By also dedicating some space to discuss methods, we aim to address the challenges and ethical considerations involved in researching the dynamics of gender and open a space to learn innovative approaches that widen the perspective of the research on gender and politics. This section also welcomes submissions in both Portuguese and Spanish. Proposed Section topics: 1. The Status of Gender Rights and its Contestations Latin America has made significant strides in recognising and protecting gender rights and equality. Yet, these advancements face continuous contestations, especially more recently within the rise of conservatism movements in the region. This segment will explore the complex political landscape in Latin America, and we are particularly interested in contributions that discuss the role of different agents, entities and ideological positionings in affecting the debate on gender rights in the continent. In this segment, we plan to discuss some of the following topics: - Waves of feminist protests in Latin America and the possible impacts on gender debates - Transformations of national political landscapes between 2018 and 2022 and the contestation of gender rights - In a feminist institutionalist manner, explore if and how different feminist approaches and ideologies engage with the institutional political sphere. - Anti-feminisms in Latin-America 2. Women in Politics This segment will debate the barriers and opportunities for women’s participation in political decision-making processes, considering intersectional aspects such as gender, race, class and territory. Panellists will explore the factors influencing women’s access to political power and the challenges diverse women face when participating in representative political institutions. We also would like to discuss cases of women in high political offices, such as former presidents Dilma Vana Rousseff, Michelle Bachelet and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and current Colombian vice-president Francia Marquez. Topics in this segment might include: - Quantitative and Qualitative discussions on the status of women’s occupation of political positions - Aesthetic and bodily prerequisites for Women‘s political participation - Violence (symbolic and material) against women in politics from an intersectional perspective. - Women Presidents and Vice-Presidents in Latin America 3. Methods of Research and Analysis This segment will focus on methods and analytical frameworks for studying gender and politics and how they have been applied to doing research on gender and politics in Latin America. As a region marked by colonialism and slavery, Latin American countries have multiracial populations and still carry the heritage of colonial pasts. We are interested in discussing how researchers have included these particularities in their frameworks and what we can learn from them. Topics in this segment might consist of: - Doing intersectional research on gender and politics - Participatory research and approaches that capture the voices and perspectives of subalternised women in political processes - Ethical considerations in conducting research on Latin America - Decolonial approaches to the research on politics and gender