According to Elizabeth Martinez, neoliberalism promotes the idea of a free market, which could potentially harm welfare organizations and the most vulnerable in society. In Queer Globalizations, Chela Sandoval presents the idea of dissident globalization, in which citizens who often find themselves lacking community at the borderlands/shorelines band together as activists. This diverse coalition of driven people can combat the individualistic ideology of neoliberalism because each member is an “internationalist citizen-warrior who is able to call upon the transformative capacities of consciousness and of the collective body” (Sandoval 21). An example of dissident globalization is present in the Womxn Who Rock’s Archive. Each artist, musician, activist, etc. in this video come from different backgrounds and identities. However, each woman shares the common goal of breaking the gender barriers in the music industry. In the video, musician Martha Gonzalez notes how creating art as a collective is about “what you find in the process, and that is, you find yourself”(6:16). This form of differential consciousness allows female musicians to find themselves, support each other, and overcome challenges presented to them as women in rock.
Throughout these class readings, I notice a trend of strong females who dedicate their careers to activism. However, it was interesting to learn in Chela Sandoval’s interview that she became discouraged after attempting to create change again and again with no results. When I read inspiring stories about activists’ lives, I often don’t think about how frustrating it can be to dedicate your life to a cause that could take decades to enact change. This is why dissident globalization and collaboration between activists is such a vital tool for change-makers to stay inspired and hopeful.
No comments:
Post a Comment