Resumen de Dones en peu de festa: accions col·lectives i emocions en els espais festius
This doctoral thesis studies the alliances of women in festive spaces with a clear objective: to challenge and fight the hegemony of sexist traditions, while they fight and transform sexist structural inequalities in their cities. Therefore, the approach to the festive space in this thesis is, not as much as a space of consensus, social cohesion and brotherhood, as has been considered by an important part of the classic literature of the festivities, but as a space of conflict emergence and tensions between hegemonic social values and social groups that question the existing order, in this case, hegemonic gender orders (Connell, 2018) in traditions and festivals in Spain. For this reason, the emotional energies generated in traditional rituals and their symbols for dominant groups are studied. These reinforce structures of thought that legitimize gender inequalities in the festive context (Collins, 2009). The strength of shared ritual emotions generates a strong sense of collective belonging, while excluding and punishing groups that question the sacred symbols of the festivities. In addition, in the study cases developed in this doctoral thesis, we can appreciate the alliances that the festive status groups weave with the political and economic social elites, facilitating, in a few occasions, festive immobility.
Thus, this thesis collects collective actions of women against the festive hegemonies of Spain, such as La Patum of Berga (Catalonia), Les Falles of València and Moors and Christians of Alcoy (Valencian Country), the San Fermins of Iruña (Nafarroa) and the Alardes of Irun and Hondarribia (Euskal Herria). This thesis is a compendium of papers that analyze the festive spaces, as generators of gender inequalities, but also, as an arena of social conflicts and, consequently, as strategic places to develop vindications from the feminisms. In other words, spaces for social transformation from everyday actions of women. Also, it evidences the use of emotions by social status groups organized around festive culture, such as domination dynamics and exclusion generators.
The research techniques and the methodological approaches used in each article have been tailored to their specific needs and objectives. However, the methodology used in all the compiled articles is qualitative. The technical translation of this qualitative methodology is materialized by integrating different techniques and elements of knowledge, such as interviews, discussion groups and observation. The results of this research show the major tool of social power that are traditional festivals, in particular in the production and reproduction of the gender stereotypes of modern societies. However, these festive spaces are also revealed as strategic spheres for feminisms and their struggles, showing important transformations both in rituals and in localities where women collective actions have gone forward with advances towards fairer and more egalitarian societies.
