Transnational women's liberation feminist activism in the US, UK, and France, 1967-79 Tess Little

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Little, Tess, author.

Series:

Oxford historical monographs

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Feminism--International cooperation--History--20th century.

Feminism.

Feminism--United States--History--20th century.

Feminism--France--History--20th century.

Feminism--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Feminism--International cooperation--History.

Feminism--History.

France.

Great Britain.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Oxford University Press, 2026.

Oxford Oxford University Press [2026]

Summary:

"This history examines transnational links within the 1970s women's liberation movement through a triangular case study of connections between activists in the US, UK, and France. It focuses on the first decade of this radical movement, which was women-only, leaderless, and grew from the grassroots. Groups were varied, methods of struggle were diverse-from consciousness-raising, street theatre, and squatting, to feminist bookshops, healthcare centres, and refuges for women fleeing domestic violence. How did such an informal movement manage to grow across different cities, regions, countries? To answer this question, a survey of American, British, and French archival material was undertaken, and life history interviews with eighteen activists were conducted. Based upon analyses of these textual, visual, and oral history sources, the chapters move from activist awakenings, politicisation (within student movements, the New Left, the civil rights movement, and 1968), and movement formation to different areas of activism including feminist theory, protest, women's healthcare, and the establishment of childcare, refuge, and rape crisis services. Throughout, this history traces the creation and travel, via movement networks, of ideas-feminist texts, protest tactics, organisational ideas-then analyses the ways they were adapted by activists in other countries to new contexts. While women's liberation ideas were primarily constructed and implemented at a local level, this does not minimise the importance of the transnational. It is precisely through a study of the local, regional, and national that this thesis uncovers the transnational"-- Provided by publisher

Across different cities, countries, and continents, the women's liberation movement grew from the grassroots, beginning with small discussion groups in the late 1960s to thousands marching in the streets less than a decade later. Political positions varied and methods of struggle were diverse, from consciousness-raising, street theatre, and squatting, to feminist bookshops, healthcare services, and refuges for women escaping domestic violence. But how did this informal, leaderless social movement grow across national borders? Did women's liberation activists in different countries see themselves as fighting in the same struggle? Taking a case study of movements in the US, UK, and France, this history investigates the transnational reach of women's liberation. It brings together analyses of archival sources-from flyers, posters, and activist newsletters to personal correspondence and oral testimony, including interviews recorded by the author

Contents:

Awakenings

Politicisation

Formation

Movement

Theory

Protest

Bodies

Community

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description based on online resource and publisher information; title from PDF title page (viewed on February 23, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version Little, Tess. Transnational women's liberation

Print version :

ISBN:

9780198958987

0198958986

9780198958970

0198958978

OCLC:

1574214340

Publisher Number:

CIPO000355285

CIPO000397024

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license