The case of women’s active citizenship in Italy.

A comparison with the Danish and Swedish case

Resumen

This article explores how active citizenship fosters new forms of social and political awareness among those who engage in such practices. In the case of women, active citizenship not only promotes greater social engagement but also has the potential to influence local public policies. Italy, in fact, continues to have low levels of women’s representation in the political sphere. At the same time, the country is characterized by a vibrant landscape of informal activism. Drawing on the empirical research I conducted for my PhD in the Umbria region on women's active citizenship within associations, I will present a case in which these associations intervene at the local level by supporting women, as well as organizing seminars, events, and courses aimed at engaging people and addressing feminist and transfeminist causes that are often marginalized. The Italian case will then be compared to the Danish and Swedish ones, where grassroots feminism was integrated with institutional efforts, resulting in what some scholars refer to as state feminism (Borchorst & Siim, 2008). In these countries, feminist causes have been successfully incorporated into political frameworks, advancing gender equality. However, some Nordic scholars have criticized modern state feminism, arguing that feminist causes risk being co-opted by the state (Stoltz, 2021). Finally, I will argue that in both Italian and Scandinavian democracies, the very concept of citizenship must be reconsidered. What is needed is a more pluralistic and inclusive vision of citizenship, one that ensures broader participation and representation.

Keywords: women’s active citizenship, associationism, state feminism, unconventional participation.