The Interaction of Frames, Culture and Resources In The Ukrainian Women's Movement: An Analysis of Kyiv, Kharkiv and L'viv
Open Access
- Author:
- Morford, Nicole Edgar
- Graduate Program:
- Political Science
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- October 02, 2007
- Committee Members:
- Lee Ann Banaszak, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Michael Bernhard, Committee Member
Gretchen G Casper, Committee Member
Catherine Wanner, Committee Member - Keywords:
- resources
culture
frames
social movements
international funding - Abstract:
- This dissertation examines the emerging Ukrainian women’s movement in 2002 and 2003 in three regionally distinct Ukrainian cities; Kyiv, Kharkiv, and L’viv. Using social movement theory this study focuses on the dominant frames being used by Ukrainian women activists as they voice their concerns and solutions to local Ukrainian women, foreign donors and the broader public while seeking to acquire material resources from foreign and domestic sources. This research helps to answer the following questions. To what extent is the success of women’s groups and groups generally constrained by culture? Can groups that represent women outside of the dominant cultural perspective succeed in bringing about their desired social changes? To what extent do the three different local cultural contexts act as resources and constraints for social movement actors in their framing activities and attempts to bring about change? What are the influences of large amounts of international funding and severely limited domestic resources on a women’s movement in a post-Soviet context? The effects of local culture and context, resources, both domestic and international, and elite allies are examined for their influence on the construction of frames used by Ukrainian women activists. In addition, the influences of frames, local cultural contexts, domestic and foreign material resources, and elite allies on social movement outcomes are examined. In-depth interviews with women’s activists from representative samples of women’s non-governmental organizations in Kyiv, Kharkiv and L’viv, observation of movement activities and movement produced literature are the data used in this research. The findings depict a Ukrainian women’s movement using frames which both resonate with local contexts and also critique them as activists struggle to reach local Ukrainian women while simultaneously negotiating changing foreign donor priorities. Local cultures and contexts along with foreign funding influenced the construction of frames and progress toward desired outcomes. Domestic material resources had no observable impact on frame construction and often the opposite than expected relationship to outcomes. The ability of women’s activists to make progress toward their desired goals within their cities was varied as each local cultural context presented different opportunities and constraints.