Learning from grassroots women resistance to inform a more inclusive and humane urbanism

My thesis explores how women in Africa resist socioeconomic alienation using theories of African feminisms to explain unique forms of grassroots and collective actions. To address this aim, I ask the questions- how did grassroots women within the African context experience socio-economic alienation within the colonial and postcolonial eras and marginalization in the precolonial era? How do grassroots women in alliance with African feminist activists resist socio-economic alienation? What can African feminisms teach us about grassroots resistance? I argue acknowledging local knowledge and reciprocity of care, inherent in the values and practice of indigenous or ethnic groups, serve as bases for resisting alienation. This is because, reciprocity of care, contradicts the neoliberal philosophy and practice of individualism, competition, and privatization. In this thesis, I demonstrate these resistances by identifying reciprocity and care rooted in shared histories, cultures, and values of African-feminisms. In contrast to Western feminist thought, African feminisms acknowledge the contextual differences between the Western world and the continent and seek an end to the oppression and marginalization of women by reclaiming African histories, cultures, and values. Through interviews with African feminist scholars, activists and focus group discussions with women in Northern Ghana, I place these women’s voices in scholarly conversation with Sylvia Tamale, Oyeronke Oyewumi, and Ifi Amadiume who argue that, contrary to Westernized notions women possess inherent roles in the reproduction, production and distribution of power and wealth in African societies. This accounts for their continuous resistance to exclusion and marginalization in the face of patriarchy, colonialism, and capitalism. More so, engaging with and learning from indigenous knowledge is crucial for building an inclusive urbanism.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.U.P.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Regional Planning

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Husunukpe, Janet Ami

Contributors dc:contributor

• Miraftab, Faranak
• Novoa, Magdalena Echaurren

• African Feminisms
• Reciprocity Of Care
• Indigenous Knowledge
• Planning

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Janet Husunukpe

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124707

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F124707