Unpacking Transnational Feminism: A Journey Through Its Nuances and Challenges

Abstract

Transnational feminism offers a nuanced approach to understanding gender justice by examining the intersection of global power structures, race, class, and gender across national borders. It challenges the dominance of Western feminist discourses by highlighting the diverse experiences of women, particularly from the Global South, and critiques global systems like neoliberalism, imperialism, and patriarchy. Central to transnational feminism, its focus is on global solidarity and the recognition of interconnectedness of struggles for gender justice worldwide. It emphasizes the importance of addressing both local and global dynamics in feminist activism, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard. Relying on a qualitative explorative study through close examination of scholarly articles, this article will shed light on the complexities of transnational feminism. While the movement seeks to constantly balance the tension between fostering global solidarity and respecting local complexities as well as aims to dismantle hierarchies, it can sometimes reproduce the same power imbalances it critiques, particularly between feminists from the Global North and the Global South. The challenge of translating theoretical ideals into practice, especially in terms of equitable representation and collaboration across borders, adds further layers of complexity to transnational feminist work.