PART IV: THE EARLY 21st CENTURY REVIVAL OF SOCIALISM

  Chapter 11 AOC and the Growth of Multi Racial Socialist Feminism

In the United States in the early years of the 21stcentury, with the growth of the feminist abolitionist movement, socialist feminism re-emerged as a grassroots social movement. 

Socialism as a political philosophy made a surprising comeback with the Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign. Many of those inspired by Sanders’ message were young women of color, such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC), who like Sanders identified as democratic socialists. Twenty-first century socialist feminism differs from 19th and 20th century socialist feminism in that it is a multi-racial movement led by women of color. 

Most young socialist feminists inspired by the Sanders’ campaign may best be characterized as “grassroots socialists.” They are generally pragmatic in their politics and jargon-free in their language, unlike many of the socialists from the old left parties. The socialism that fuelled the Sanders’ campaign was not primarily ideological but was grounded in concrete issues directly affecting people’s lives, incorporating a racial and gender justice agenda with the economic justice agenda historically associated with socialism. Twenty-first century socialist feminist activists and scholars increasingly see themselves as part of a global movement. Kristen Ghodsee and Chiara Bonfiglioli at a 2019 conference announced their intent to launch a new academic field, Global Socialist Feminism, which they characterize as “the missing other” of transnational feminism. They hope to bring a more inclusive approach and deeper understanding to the history of socialist feminism, now understood as a global movement.