From Memory to Legacies. Cultural Outcomes, Success and Failures of the Feminism Movement in Sicily

The cultural outcomes of social movements have rarely been explored by scientists, except by very few scholars, even though cultural modifications were actually considered one of the most important goals by the activists. These kinds of outcomes are usually not direct, nor do they have short-term effects; they produce long-range effects that could involve other social spaces and could also produce unanticipated consequences. The principal aim of this work, after a concise theoretical overview on the relationship between social change and social movements, is to investigate through a narrative and qualitative approach the outcomes, successes, and failures of the feminist movement in Sicily. Particular attention will be paid to the relationships between stated goals and achieved outcomes, the unintended and unexpected outcomes of the purposive goals and actions of the activists, and the current social representation of women that in part stems from the feminist struggle. The results of the interviews will be analyzed also in light of some statistical data on the condition of women in Italy.