Description
This paper compares and contrasts the theories of agonistic democracy and transversal politics in order to re-imagine how citizenship and political participation can be conceptualised in a more gender-just manner, specifically in deeply divided, transitional societies. The gendered underpinnings of (ethno-)nationalism and political citizenship are explored in relation to women’s cross-community activities and political activism to further a theoretical understanding of gender-just citizenship. This entails understanding citizenship as a pluralist, multi-layered process that involves participation in different political arenas and embraces intersectional perspectives on identity. The analysis is based on data collected through document analysis, semi-structured interviews and participant observation in Belfast 2018-2020.
Agonism and transversalism share many basic foundations such as their focus on open-ended dialogue, reconciliation and recognising difference despite deep societal divides. First, the paper explores how space can be created for agonistic contestation and transversal dialogue that does not reinforce the status quo, silence legitimate grievances or dismiss difference. Second, transversalism and agonism are used to build a framework for imagining a gender-just citizenship where coalitions are built across difference, taking inspiration from women’s cross-community activism in contemporary Northern Ireland. Third, the concept of transversal citizenship is advanced, based on the importance of multi-layered identities, multi-sited political participation and building coalitions across difference.
KEY WORDS: agonism; transversalism; gender; citizenship; dialogue
