Engaging the state is good – any other idea reifies the idea that there is one universal feminist tradition
Altan-Olcay 20 [Özlem Altan-Olcay is associate professor of Political Science in the Department of International Relations at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey. Her primary research interests include gender and development, transnational networks, and citizenship studies. Some of her recent articles have appeared in Development and Change, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Feminist Economics, Gender, Place and Culture, Sociology, Social Politics, and Women's Studies International Forum.; Development and Change 51(5): 1271–1295; “Politics of Engagement: Gender Expertise and International Governance”; DOI: 10.1111/dech.12609; Accessed 7-6-23]//LASA-mackerel
However, from a practical perspective the question is whether a complete disengagement from institutions of power is feasible (Miller and Razavi, 1998; True, 2003). Furthermore, the idea of a binary of co-optation inside institutions of governance and ideological purity on the outside assumes there is/was a pure and monolithic feminist knowledge and activism outside of institutional frameworks (Calkin, 2015; Eschle and Maiguashca, 2014; de Jong, 2016). This assumption makes it difficult to recognize the complex connections between the history of feminist mobilizations and national and international institutions: behind the ability of women’s movements to influence the structure and agenda of the UN system lies a history of intricate contestations, alliances and victories (Antrobus, 2004; Hannan, 2013; Rai, 2004). Furthermore, this depiction is also less likely to account for internal conflicts and divisions in social movements and civil society (Alvarez, 1999; Alvarez et al., 2003; Eschle and Maiguashca, 2014; Maiguashca, 2011).