Paper short abstract:

This paper presents an approach to sisterhood, a controversial concept in the history of feminism. Based on the last events in Spain, where sisterhood has become a central claim, the paper shows a complex scenario to reflect on identity politics and "alternative" solidarities.

Paper long abstract:

The unprecedented success of Spanish public feminism in the last two years cannot be properly understood unless we consider two events that took place in the fall of 2017: the trial for the gang rape of a young woman at the San Fermín fiestas in Pamplona and the MeToo movement. This connection suggests that rejection of sexual violence is one of the main incentives to join and support the public expressions of feminism in Spain and is standardizing the ideals that attract attention and make visible contemporary feminism in this country. One of these ideals, already classic in Anglo-American feminism, is that of sisterhood. The appeal for solidarity among women has penetrated the feminist movement in Spain, and flourishes through social networks and public demonstrations, generating a great flow of both protest and solidarity messages such as #Sororidad (Sisterhood), #HermanaYoSíTeCreo (Sister, I believe you), #LaManadaSomosNosotras (We are the she-wolf pack), or simply #Juntas (Together). This circumstance has provoked intense debates on the subject of feminism and identity politics.

This paper approaches the theoretical development of sisterhood in feminist literature looking back to the 1970s, when US women took to the streets with the rallying cry "Sisterhood is powerful." It shows that the claim for sisterhood reappeared in Spain in recent years presents significant differences which them and permits us to reflect on the (im)possibilities of opening identity politics to strategic solidarities.