The Green Tide’s Political Spirituality: Enduring Colonial Presents of Sex, Race, and Class in Argentine Feminist Knowledge Production

This Fellowship supports a research project that explores the tensions between decolonial feminism and the enduring legacies of colonialism in Argentina. It builds on my doctoral work examining the Green Tide (GT), Argentina’s mass feminist movement known for its successful campaign to legalise abortion. Although celebrated internationally as a progressive, decolonial force, my research shows how the GT reproduces the same racial and gender categories used historically to marginalise Indigenous and Afro-descendant populations. The Fellowship allows me to deepen and expand this critical analysis through academic publications, public engagement, and future research development. One major goal of the Fellowship is to publish my research in accessible and high-impact formats. I will develop my PhD into a book, The Witch Against Man?, and write two academic journal articles. The first article explores how the GT draws on Indigenous ideas like “body-territory” to strengthen its political message, but often does so without fully addressing Indigenous struggles. The second article connects ideas of racial and sexual democracy to show how Argentina’s progressive image masks deep structural inequalities rooted in colonial history. The second core element of the Fellowship is social engagement. I will organise three workshops in Argentina with Indigenous and Afro-descendant organisations. These sessions will focus on how social movements can build stronger, more inclusive alliances. Drawing from my research, we will co-produce toolkits and a public-facing report aimed at strengthening intersectional organising in the face of increasing political hostility and backlash. Finally, the Fellowship will help me develop the next stage of my academic career by preparing a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship proposal. This future project will expand the research beyond Argentina to include Brazil, examining how feminist, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant movements negotiate colonial legacies in different national and transnational contexts. More broadly, this work addresses a central paradox in today’s global politics: how social movements committed to decolonisation can, unintentionally, replicate the very structures they seek to undo. By focusing on how knowledge is produced and politicised—within activist networks, public debate, and academia—I aim to show that even the most radical politics must confront the histories and power dynamics they carry. The Fellowship will allow me to contribute not only to academic debates but also to public conversations about feminism, race, and decolonisation. Overall, this project seeks to make a meaningful impact within and beyond the university. Through writing, public engagement, and collaboration, I aim to support more reflexive and equitable approaches to political organising and knowledge-making. In doing so, I hope to contribute to broader efforts, academic and activist alike, to understand and challenge the ongoing effects of colonialism in our societies.