Women's Movements and Political Parties

Abstract

Comparing the orientation of the American and Canadian women's movements toward political parties and electoral politics between 1970 and 1993, the article concludes that the predisposition away from established parties posited by new social movement theorists is present in both movements, but is in tension with the substantive and symbolic benefits that engagement with partisan and electoral politics promises. Within the broad context of these contradictory impulses, opportunity structures have shaped specific movement strategies. The permeable character of American parties, coupled with a two-party system, have facilitated the American movement's engagement with political parties, particularly the Democrats. In contrast to this, the cohesive, impermeable character of Canadian parties and a three-party system have prevented the Canadian movement from developing an exclusive relationship with any one party, and have contributed to the movement's growing apartisan orientation since the mid-1980s.