Organizational Dynamics and Construction of Multiple Feminist Identities in the National Organization for Women

Abstract

Through an analysis of two National Organization for Women chapters, the author finds that members construct multiple feminist identities that vary in collective definitions of feminism, the overall strategies adopted, and organizational culture. To explain these variations, the author analyzes meso-level relations between the organization and the environment, issues of diversity, and leadership continuity. This study illustrates how organizational factors intertwine to shape how participants come to view themselves and the political and cultural environment surrounding them. With the current research focus either on the larger political environment or individual characteristics, meso-level factors are often overlooked in examinations of social movement dynamics.