What Makes a (Third) Wave

How and Why the Third-Wave Narrative Works for Contemporary Feminists

Bibliographic Data

ID12660481
AuthorsElizabeth Evans (0000-0002-6594-5967, University of Bristol, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume18
Issue3
Pages409-428
Publication date2015-04-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Feminist Journal of Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-6742 • E-ISSN: 1468-4470
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14616742.2015.1027627
OpenAlexW2116811040
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited20

The wave narrative has come to frame academic and popular discussions of western feminist activism. Yet there are overlapping and contradictory ways of interpreting “third-wave feminism,” which has resulted in much confusion surrounding its use and relevancy within western feminist praxis. Hence the need for a greater understanding of the term “third-wave feminism.” This article sets out a framework for understanding third-wave feminism, highlighting the importance of political context. The article, drawing upon interview data generated with activists in the USA and the UK, argues that while chronology is the most prevalent way in which feminist activists interpret third-wave feminism, many also cite age and intersectionality as indicators of third-wave feminism. Moreover, differing interpretations influence the extent to which it is seen as a positive development. While third-wave feminism is more developed in the USA, many within the UK recognize and use the term

Black feminism · Confusion · Context (archaeology · Feminism · Political science · Politics · Praxis · Psychoanalysis · Sociology · Third wave · Gender Studies · Gender, Feminism, and Media · History · Latin American and Latino Studies · Law · Music History and Culture · Psychology

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