Women at the Forefront of Democratic Change
In a world where women’s rights and women’s place in society are constantly contested and feminist claims manipulated to promote conservative, even illiberal, agendas, one could be tempted to see women as mostly victims of attacks on their rights and democracy. This is especially so because in the history of revolutions and pro-democracy and decolonisation movements there has typically been an overemphasis on the role of male leaders, thinkers and strategists compared to women’s.
However, looking more carefully at history and global politics, we can find plenty of examples where women have been at the forefront of movements aimed to topple authoritarian regimes or resist to attempts to roll back democratic institutions. Even when this does not necessarily translate into a betterment of women’s rights, it has been shown that pro-democracy movements that see a massive participation of women tend to be more resilient, creative and ultimately successful and are more likely to lead to a more equal and effective democracy especially when women’s participation and rights are integrated in the post-revolutionary transition period.
Despite this, there has never been a systematic overview of the impact of women in pro-democracy movements. The MOOC on Women at the forefront of Democratic Change will fill this knowledge gap and shed light on women’s crucial role in the fight to build and protect democracy and bring about social change.
Structure
The MOOC runs over 4 weeks and is organised as follows:
Week 1 – Setting the scene
- Main concepts
- The interaction between gender equality and democracy
- Women and democratic revolutions
Week 2 – Women’s quest for democracy in authoritarian and hybrid regimes
- The mutual interplay of misogyny and authoritarianism
- The cooptation of women’s agenda
- Women’s movements for democratic change
- Case studies
Week 3 – Gender equality, women and democratic backsliding
- Backlash on women’s rights
- Violence against women political actors
- Women’s resistance to democratic backsliding
- Case studies
Week 4 – Ways forward for more inclusive democracies
- Trends and challenges in women’s political participation
- Women’s movements as agents of social change and justice
- Case studies
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, participants will be able to
- Define key concepts such as gender equality, democratisation, democracy, democratic backsliding and distinguish among different regime types
- Reflect on the conditions for successful democratic change and resistance and recognise the role of women in these processes
- Analyse political processes under a gender lens
- Discuss pathways and obstacles to women’s political participation
- Assess case studies in countries and societies worldwide and of their choice
Methodology
The course encompasses 4 weeks with approximately 20-25 hours of active learning. It will include video lectures, readings, peer-to-peer learning through discussions as well as knowledge checks with polls and quizzes, all aimed at developing and reinforcing personal critical reflection. Case studies will focus on examples and current debates from different regions and countries in the world.
Free certificate of participation
At the end of the course, participants who have completed all discussions, polls and quizzes will receive a free certificate confirming their participation.
Target Audience
This MOOC is designed for students and scholars, policy makers, human rights field workers, diplomats, women’s rights activists and members of Civil Society who currently work and fight for democratic transformation, women’s political participation and women’s rights.