ABSTRACT
The author looks at the development of political consciousness and solidarity among women of the popular urban movements in So Paulo. The research in Brazil, from which the empirical data originates, was designed specifically to look at aspects of women's political participation in popular urban social movements in order to provide explanations for women's high profile in non-institutional politics. By looking at the various processes involved in conscientization and politicization such as forms of consciousness raising, self-help groups, oral history and the struggle for literacy the author argues that the development of women's political consciousness is far more complex than present analyses demonstrate. The author goes on to argues that in the formulation of strategic gender interests practical gender interests have to be taken into account and it is the politicisation of these practical interests and their transformation into strategic interests which constitutes a central aspect of feminist practice.
