Conditions for global solidarities and social movements have changed radically since their high point in the 1990s United Nations conferences. This collection considers how political solidarities are being understood and constructed in a variety of cross-border struggles and for what ends under twenty-first century conditions. In studies grounded in different world regions at a variety of scales, authors address: how the Cold War divide and its aftermath have structured contemporary asymmetries in European LGBT movements and in 'global' feminisms; how 'colonial difference' in Latin America confronts feminist and social justice movements with problems of translation across worlds; how travelling concepts essential to constructing solidarities across distance and difference traverse linguistic divides and attendant power imbalances in world cities and transnational networks; how rurality as a form of colonial difference challenges established categories of intersectional feminism. Feminist politics of power and difference, and attention to gendered agency, are at the centre of this inquiry into the possibility of twenty-first century solidarities across borders.

Since the 1960s, participatory discourses and techniques have been at the core of decision making processes in a variety of sectors around the world - a phenomenon often referred to as the participatory turn. Over the years, this participatory turn has given birth to a large array of heterogeneous participatory practices developed by a wide variety of organizations and groups, as well as by governments. Among the best-known practices of citizen participation are participatory budgeting, citizen councils, public consultations, etc. However, these experiences are sometimes far from the original 1960s' radical conception of participatory democracy, which had a transformative dimension and aimed to overcome unequal relationships between the state and society and emancipate and empower citizens in their daily lives. This book addresses four sets of questions: what do participatory practices mean today?; what does it mean to participate for participants, from the perspective of citizenship building?; how the processes created by the participatory turn have affected the way political representation functions?; and does the participatory turn also mean changing relationships and dynamics among civil servants, political representatives, and citizens? Overall, the contributions in this book illustrate and grasp the complexity of the so-called participatory turn. It shows that the participatory turn now includes several participatory democracy projects, which have different effects on the overall system depending on the principles that they advocate. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Civil Society.

Scholars of social movements tend to overlook the achievements and
political significance of women's movements. Through theoretical
discussions and empirical examples, "Solidarities beyond
Borders" demonstrates the creativity and dynamism of transnational
women's movements around the world.

These timely case studies from North America, Latin America, and
Southeast Asia introduce feminists, activists, and scholars to the
benefits and challenges of building relationships, dialogues, and
perspectives that extend beyond the boundaries of nation-states and
disciplines. Part 1 opens a dialogue between feminist theorists and
scholars of social movements in other disciplines -- geographers,
anthropologists, sociologists, and political scientists. Part 2
explores how the mutual recognition of interests and identities among
feminist activists and women's organizations can deepen
solidarities. Part 3 focuses on the challenges that feminists and
women's groups will face as they build solidarities beyond
borders but argues that these links can be extended to embrace other
progressive movements and their goals.

"Solidarities beyond Borders" not only brings to light the
opportunities and challenges that globalization poses for
transnationalizing women's movements, it also offers important
strategic, conceptual, and methodological lessons for all social
movements.

Scholars of social movements tend to overlook the achievements and political significance of women’s movements. Through theoretical discussions and empirical examples, Solidarities Beyond Borders demonstrates the creativity and dynamism of transnational feminist and women’s groups around the world. These timely case studies from North America, Latin America, and Southeast Asia explore the benefits and challenges of extending ties beyond national borders and disciplinary boundaries. The contributors not only bring to light the opportunities and challenges that globalization poses for transnationalizing women’s movements, they offer important strategic, conceptual, and methodological lessons for all social movements.