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Empowerment and Community Feminism in Maize Conservation in Mexico

Abstract:

The objective is to analyze, from a perspective based on community feminism, the empowering process of women from a group of eight Matlatzinca members from the community of San Francisco Oxtotilpan, Mexico, through productive, nutritional and cultural practices around native maize. Data were collected during 2014 and 2015 through ethnographic techniques, including that included participant observation, life histories, focus groups and semi-structured and in-depth interviews. Results show five dimensions of power (social, corporal, material, symbolic and cognitive) that promote the preservation of native maize, by generating the critical mass necessary to incorporate other women in favorable actions for nutritional sovereignty.

Key words:
empowerment; community feminism; native maize; critical mass; nutritional sovereignty

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