ABSTRACT
In the context of Southern Europe, women’s rights faced historical resistance stemming from a legacy of right-wing dictatorships and Catholic culture. Wider processes of modernization gradually challenged this legacy, with a striking impact on the mobilization for women’s rights. This chapter examines feminist collective action in Italy and Portugal in the 21st century, including pro-choice struggles connected to abortion in Portugal and the mobilizations against gender-based violence in Italy. In each context we examine dominant themes and repertoires of collective action, but also sources of internal dissent, such as the topics of surrogacy and sex work. We suggest self-determination remains a key concept through which contemporary feminist movements may overcome current political and theoretical challenges.
