Contribution short abstract:

This exploration into the intimate spheres of revolutionary women asserts the transformative potential of acknowledging and theorizing the specific dynamics of feminine relationality in the broader context of feminist anthropology and un/commoning practices.

Contribution long abstract:

The paper foregrounds the distinct contours of feminine relationality among women in Latin American guerrilla movements, scrutinizing selected (auto)biographical works and diaries from Colombia, Chile, Cuba, and Nicaragua. It argues that insurgent intimacies, the deep emotional and social connections cultivated within these revolutionary contexts, exemplify an embodied practice of un/commoning rooted in specifically feminine experiences and perspectives. Without conflating feminine with feminist, the study critically examines how these bonds reveal the potential of practices and ethics to envision and enact new forms of collective existence, demonstrating the transformative power of shared resistance.

These narratives of feminine relationality illuminate the significance of empathy, mutual care, and solidarity in constructing resilient modes of communal resistance and existence, but also exemplify the challenges of female connection under patriarchy. Through a feminist anthropological lens, the analysis not only contributes to the reevaluation of communal bonds in conflict zones but also posits feminine relationality as a potent force for envisioning alternative futures. By focusing on the unique ways in which women in these movements connect, this research enhances our understanding of un/commoning as a complex interplay of political, ethical, and emotional practices.