Feminist organizing in India: A study of women in NGOs

SynopsisLiterature on the management structures of feminist organizations differs from other organizations because they are alternative organizations driven by commitment to ideology and an egalitarian structure. However, recent research suggests that there has been a change in thinking. Scholars argue that feminists should not take the position that there is only one “form of freedom.” Rather, the structures women adopt for their organizations should depend on the context. Despite these suggestive findings from the international feminist literature, there is not much documented on the structures of women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and upper and middle class women who choose careers as volunteers and activists. This study examines the personal motivations and complex opportunities related to careers in feminist organizations. Using a feminist standpoint framework, a snowball sample of twenty-one women is interviewed. The data reveals unique dynamics associated with careers in NGOs with a feminist mission and structure in India.