Resistance and solidarity through feminist craftivism; a comparative study of Ireland and Mexico
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Date
2023
Authors
Mondragon Toledo, Brenda
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Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
The proposed research is a comparative study of feminist textile practices between Mexico and Ireland with the purpose of establishing transnational solidarity (Mohanty, 1991). From a feminist standpoint, this research used a feminist Participatory Arts-Based Research methodology to enable conversations between participants from both countries. This research proposes using textile-making practices as a methodological tool to encourage reflexivity and collective knowledge creation. The data-gathering consisted of a series of online workshops with women living in Mexico and Ireland in which, by using embroidery, patchwork and doll-making, we encourage conversations around different topics related to experiences of gender-based violence.
As a result of the COVID pandemic, this research hat to shift into an online format. During this unique period, amid the pandemic, I had the opportunity to observe a heightened interconnection of craftivism on the Internet. The research involved conducting textile workshops on Google Meet over an eight-month period, with activist groups serving as facilitators for each session. These groups included the Puebla feminist collective Refleja, Mexico City’s textile activist Agujas Combativas, and the West Cork-based The Bábóg Project. There was a strong engagement over the entire eight months from six participants, evenly distributed between Ireland and Mexico. Each workshop session was meticulously recorded and transcribed, the acquired data was analysed through a reflective thematic analysis. Photographs of each textile piece have also been gathered and are part of the data.
The thesis showcases the effectiveness of a PABR methodology in facilitating comparative discussions across diverse scenarios, overcoming language and distance barriers. The ability to engage collectively allows us to expand physical and linguistic frontiers to weave together participants who are geographically distant from each other and across language differences. Therefore, this study shines light on how women navigate the complexities of post-colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal societies throughout their lives, leading to the development of a feminist consciousness evident in their textile practices and activism. Finally, the research aims to highlight the connections and unique experiences of women in both the Irish and Mexican contexts, illustrating how they construct a feminist identity as a form of resistance against normalized and extreme manifestations of gender-based violence, which I call ‘crafting a feminist self’.
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Controlled Access
Keywords
Feminist research , Creative methodologies , Textile activisms , Participatory Arts-based Research
Citation
Mondragon Toledo, B. 2023. Resistance and solidarity through feminist craftivism; a comparative study of Ireland and Mexico. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.