New publication - Feminist Review (issue 109) - feminism and the politics of austerity

[Preeti Kathrecha]

Dear all,

This special issue on "The Politics of Austerity" is  available to view. As the editors comment, "Our contributors have addressed the complex problems of austerity in three main ways: first, by challenging the economic and political orthodoxies about the nature of the crisis and the political responses to it for their gendered underpinnings; second, by revealing the gendered, racialised and sexualised exclusions and violence–both material and discursive–that neo-liberal policies of austerity have produced and enabled, and the limits and possibilities of resistance that have resulted; and third, by tracking the gendered impacts of specific austerity policies and the emerging forms of resistance to them."

 

Is it really just the cuts? Neo-liberal tales from the women’s voluntary and community sector in London

Elena Vacchelli, Preeti Kathrecha and Natalie Gyte

Fem Rev 109: 180-189; doi:10.1057/fr.2014.38

Full Text | PDF | Request Permission

 

Enjoy, and comments welcome (especially anyone else who works with grassroots women’s organisations).

[John Donnelly]

In Australia it's not just competition but funding cuts that are having very negative impacts on women's organization and subsequently on vulnerable women and children. In January our prime minister, Tony Abbott announced Rosie Batty, a victim of and campaigner against domestic violence. The irony was not lost on many that he had not long previously slashed support funding for organisations supporting victims and combatting violence.

Our prime minister has been labelled misogynist by many reputable men and women. However on becoming prime minister he anointed himself 'minister for women'! Another irony or sick joke.

I suspect you are correct in describing the UK trend as ideological. In Australia I think it is both neo-liberal ideology and basic misogyny. WE have 2 women in a government cabinet of 22. One of them has only just been appointed after 18 months of this government.