Productive Differences — Virtual Networks Call for Heterogeneity’

Abstract

In the 1990s, discussions of women’s politics increasingly addressed the possibilities for women to organize themselves into alliances and networks. The ‘virtualization’ of such networks based on information technology, in particular the Internet, brought the chances for worldwide networking among women into reach. Today, information technology seems to provide the tools both for innovative forms of international feminist politics and for the creation of global coalitions and strategic alliances. In light of such a global orientation resulting from IT-based networking, it seems reasonable to suggest that the issue of differences among women, which has become more evident in the debates of the past decade, will continue to take on a new relevance. In other words, this raises the question of the role of the heterogeneity of actors in virtual alliances and networks.

Translated by Gabriele Kreutzner. Thanks to Heather McRae for her invaluable final revisions.