Revista de Estudios Sociales

rev. estud. soc. | eISSN 1900-5180 | ISSN 0123-885X

Intersectionality and Social Movement Coalitions: The Case of the New Rights Agenda in Uruguay

No. 87 (2024-01-11)
  • Germán Bidegain
    Universidad de la República, Uruguay
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4007-4843
  • Martín Freigedo
    Universidad de la República, Uruguay
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0177-8845
  • Sebastián Goinheix
    Universidad de la República, Uruguay
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7911-972X
https://doi.org/10.7440/res87.2024.03

Abstract

This article contributes to our understanding of how social movement coalitions with an intersectional political perspective function. It analyzes the development in Uruguay of a network of social movements that successfully promoted the so-called “new rights agenda” during the progressive government (2005-2020). This case is particularly interesting given its level of success in terms of legal changes and public policies and the role played by social movements in these changes. Considering the above, do Uruguayan social organizations in the new rights agenda form an integrated network of action? If so, what level of segmentation do these organizations assume based on their main issues? Through an analysis of networks, we show that these organizations operate within an integrated network, which is reinforced by the presence of specific entities that play a central intermediary role. However, the existence of organizational link segmentation is evident, indicating that while there is some capacity for interaction among different social movement industries, a thematic logic predominates when understanding interactions within the network. The network analysis presented is based on information collected in an original survey conducted with 49 organizations in Montevideo involved in the new rights agenda. Empirically, the article advances our knowledge of this unique case in the Latin American context through an innovative methodology for analyzing these phenomena. On a theoretical level, it addresses recent discussions in the literature concerning the impact of an intersectional perspective on the actions and outcomes of social movements and their capacity to create effective coalitions. 

Keywords: intersectionality, social movement coalition, social network analysis, Uruguay

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