Class, Gender and the Equality Movement

Abstract

How should we think about promoting egalitarian change? In this chapter, we argue for a social movement model in which change occurs through the loosely coordinated activities of a wide range of groups and organizations committed to egalitarian aims. We suggest that a social movement for equality already exists on a global scale. We examine some of the major structural changes that are occurring in the social class and gender orders of western societies and assess their significance for understanding the politics of change, concluding that a social movement seeking to mobilize opinions and resources for the sake of equality has to include movements that are separate from but interact with class politics. We focus in particular on the women’s movement as an important source of discourses and projects that matter not just to women themselves, but to children and men as well.