This very first reflective article follows the mobilization of March 8, 2025, International Women’s Day, a moment of global reflection and activism, investigating how nationalism is deeply intertwined with patriarchy, while intersectionality and federalism can serve as a compass of hope.
Revealing, amplifying, and returning the contribution of women’s subjectivities is not a mere exercise in uncovering paths of representation in the political space, structurally betrayed or hindered, but an analysis of the contradictions that the subjectivity of women and other identities forced to the margins reveals, still today, in our society. Confronting the manifestations of injustice means challenging a consolidated system of oppression and suffering that spans humanity and its history, to rebuild, reconnect, and shed light on the struggles, voices, and faces long forgotten.
Rethinking the Narrative: Intersectionality as a Tool for Change
Feminist and anti-racist struggles have shown that oppression does not act through a single axis, but rather through an interconnected system of discrimination. Intersectionality reveals the multiple layers of injustice that shape the lived experiences of marginalized individuals. It recognizes that race, gender, class, and other social categories do not operate independently but are intertwined, creating complex systems of exclusion.
While nationalism has historically sought to divide people along artificial lines, intersectionality and federalism offer an alternative framework that values diversity and aims to weave together different struggles into a collective vision for justice and equity.
Nationalism and Gender: A Construct of Oppression
National identity has been crafted through the exclusion of the “other.” The creation of imagined communities–rooted in ethnicity, culture, and rigid gender roles–has led to social structures that reinforce discrimination. The very formation of the modern nation-state was intertwined with patriarchal norms, relegating women to secondary and segregated roles within society.
Historically, nationalist movements have reinforced rigid gender binaries. Women were expected to serve as bearers of cultural and national identity, often depicted as symbols of purity, motherhood, and guardians of tradition. Their relegation to the domestic sphere was not accidental but a fundamental mechanism for maintaining social order and male dominance. Nationalist discourses have frequently depicted women as the reproducers of the nation, both biologically and culturally, placing the burden of upholding moral values and ensuring the continuity of ethnic and national identity upon them.
Moreover, the concept of citizenship has long been shaped by gender and racial inequalities. While men were granted full political agency, women and racial minorities were often considered outsiders within their nations. The construction of a national identity thus required a simultaneous process of exclusion–excluding women from public power and racializing the “other” as a foreign threat.
The nationalist framework assigns specific roles to women and men, reinforcing hierarchies that serve the interests of dominant groups. Women’s bodies have been instrumentalized in nationalist conflicts, with sexual violence often used as a weapon of war to exert control over both women and the enemy nation. Similarly, nationalist movements have historically sought to impose strict moral codes on women’s sexuality, presenting their perceived “hono”’ as synonymous with the dignity of the nation itself.
In addition, nationalist ideologies have played a crucial role in shaping labor divisions along gendered lines. Women’s participation in the workforce has frequently been framed in relation to the needs of the nation, whether in times of war, where they were encouraged to take on traditionally male labor roles, or in times of economic stability, where they were pushed back into the domestic sphere to reinforce conservative family structures.
As nationalism adapts to contemporary challenges, its impact on gender roles remains evident. Modern nationalist movements, often aligned with reactionary and authoritarian politics, seek to roll back feminist gains, attacking reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ communities, and gender equality policies under the guise of protecting national identity and traditional values. In this context, intersectional feminism provides a crucial counterpoint, exposing how nationalism, patriarchy, and systemic oppression are interwoven forces that must be collectively dismantled.
The Femonationalist Threat
A more insidious form of nationalism has emerged in recent years, blending feminist rhetoric with xenophobic policies. This phenomenon, described as “femonationalism” by sociologist Sara Farris, exploits gender equality discourse to justify racist and anti-immigration agendas. European nationalist parties, for instance, have weaponized women’s rights to frame “Muslim” and “migrant” communities as inherently oppressive, reinforcing the false narrative that gender equality is an exclusively Western value.
Femonationalism diverts attention from systemic inequalities within Western societies by externalizing gender oppression, portraying it as an issue that exists only beyond European borders. This ideological scheme absolves Western nations from their own patriarchal structures while further marginalizing immigrant women, reducing them to objects of state intervention rather than agents of their liberation.
Meanwhile, the reality of gender violence in Europe remains a systemic issue. Despite feminist advancements, gender-based violence continues to claim the lives of women across the continent. Reports show that domestic violence, femicide, and sexual violence remain widespread, with national governments failing to implement adequate measures for prevention and support. Nationalist rhetoric, while claiming to protect women from “external threats,” often ignores the structural and systemic violence perpetrated within European societies themselves, particularly by men who are related to or close to the women who fall victim to such violence. This contradiction exposes the hypocrisy of femonationalist narratives, which use women’s rights as a political tool while failing to address the violence deeply ingrained in their own cultural and legal systems.
Women as Revolutionary Subjects
Throughout history, women have played pivotal roles in revolutionary movements, despite their systematic exclusion from political spaces. The intersection of gender and other forms of oppression has placed women at the forefront of struggles for justice, from anti-colonial movements to contemporary fights for reproductive rights and labor protections.
Feminist theory, particularly in its intersectional form, provides a framework to analyze not only gender-based oppression but also the broader structures that sustain it. As Antonio Gramsci suggested with his concept of cultural hegemony, power is maintained not only through coercion but also through the normalization of certain beliefs and social structures. Feminism challenges these hegemonic structures, exposing the ways in which laws, institutions, and social norms perpetuate gender inequality.
Toward a Federalist Future
The answer to rising nationalism and growing inequalities lies in a political vision that values diversity, fosters a shared community based on common values, and establishes an institutional system grounded in subsidiarity. Federalism, as an alternative to nationalism, promotes political organization centered on cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution in response to global challenges. Unlike nationalist ideologies, which thrive on division, federalism fosters unity through mutual recognition and shared governance, envisioning a world where humanity and the planet are central political subjects.
Federalism is more than just a system of government; it is a framework that ensures the fair distribution of power at multiple levels. It provides a structure in which authority is shared between different governance entities, preventing the centralization of power that often leads to exclusion and oppression. A federalist approach respects cultural and regional differences while ensuring that fundamental rights and freedoms are universally upheld.
At the heart of federalism are key values: peace at the centre, interdependent with democracy, solidarity, social justice, equality, and sustainability. Peace is not simply the absence of war but the foundation upon which all other rights and freedoms rest. Without peace, democracy cannot flourish, and justice remains elusive. The interconnected nature of these values means that federalism does not merely propose a governance model but a vision for a world where cooperation replaces conflict.
Federal institutions play a crucial role in defending subsidiarity–the principle that decisions should be made at the most local level possible, while ensuring that higher levels of government intervene when necessary to protect rights and ensure equity. They also build the capacity to invest in common goods that can address oppressions and inequalities.
Beyond its structural implications, federalism represents a broader sociocultural transformation. It promotes a society that is both intercultural and intersectional, embracing diversity as a source of strength rather than division, where diversity is valued and oppression is recognized and addressed. A federalist society is one where unity is found in diversity, based on common values. It is a society that recognizes itself in empathy from different parts of the world, where people participate together in shaping a common, peaceful future.
Conclusion: A Call for Collective Action
The struggle against nationalism, patriarchy, and systemic oppression cannot be waged in isolation. It requires a collective reimagining of political structures, one that prioritizes justice over exclusion and cooperation over division. The intersectional feminist lens offers a powerful tool for understanding and challenging oppression in all its forms, while federalism provides a viable alternative to the exclusionary politics of nationalism.
The path forward is not one of retreating into reactionary ideals but of forging new alliances and building a future rooted in inclusivity, justice, and collective liberation. If nationalism is the politics of division, then intersectionality and federalism can become the politics of hope and unity. The fight is not merely against a single form of oppression but against the structures that enable it–ensuring that the power of all people, particularly those historically marginalized, is recognized and upheld in shaping the societies of tomorrow.
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