Women, Gender, and the Political Right i

This course introduces students to the histories of women, gender, and right-wing politics in Latin America and the Caribbean from the early 1900s to the present. From the ‘Era of Fascism’ to the politics of motherhood, the course will explore the origins and debates surrounding key theories and gender-based narratives within the political right, including topics such as nativism, anti-communism, and religious nationalisms. We will also examine the agency, impact, and struggles of right-wing women, addressing issues related to sexuality, femininities, masculinities, and reproductive politics. Students will critically analyze how to unpack the concept of the “political right” across the region, investigate the counterintuitive discourses of “conservative feminists,” and examine the extremist views of fascist women. How can we trace and analyze anti-gender, right-wing narratives from the past to the present? What role did Latin American women play in shaping this history? Throughout, we will draw on a rich variety of primary and secondary sources to deepen our understanding of these complex issues.