Other identities in ethnofederations: women’s and sexual minorities’ advocacy in Belgium |
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Authors: | Karen Celis Petra Meier |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Political Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium;2. Department of Political Science, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium |
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Abstract: | This article considers the experience of the impact of ethnofederations on social identities that cut across such an ethnic divide. Based on a series of in-depth interviews focusing on the structure and operation of women’s and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender movement organizations in Belgium, we demonstrate that these groups experience constraints of the dominant ethno-linguistic identity. These results in a ‘federalism disadvantage’ for identities cross-cutting the ethnic divide, the result of which is a neglect of policy competencies situated at the federal level. |
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Keywords: | Federalism ethnofederalism social movements women LGBT federalism disadvantage |
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