Countercurrents

In the decades following the Second World War, women from all walks of life became increasingly frustrated by the world around them. Drawing on long-standing political traditions, they bound together to revolutionize social norms and contest gender inequality. Inspired by the Red power, Black Power, the Quebec liberation movement, among other social movements, women activists in Montreal mounted a multifront campaign against social injustice. Countercurrents rewrites the history of Montreal feminism by incorporating parallel social movements into the overarching narrative of the women’s movement. Case studies compare and reflect on the histories and political work of the Quebec Native Women’s Association, the Congress of Black Women, the Front de libération des femmes du Québec, various Haitian women’s organizations, and the Collectif des femmes immigrantes. Bringing to light previously overlooked archival and oral sources, Amanda Ricci introduces a new cast of characters to the history of feminism in Quebec. The book presents a unique portrait of the resurgence of feminist activism, demonstrating its deep roots in Indigenous and Black communities, its wide-ranging inspirations and preoccupations, and its transnational scope. Advancing cross-cultural studies on women’s movements, Countercurrents seeks new ways of defining feminist priorities and thus imagining feminist futures.

Countercurrents rewrites the history of post-war feminism in Montreal by incorporating parallel social movements, such as the Red Power, Black Power, and the Quebec liberation movement, into the larger narrative of the women’s movement. Case studies compare and reflect on the histories and political work of various feminist groups in Quebec.

Amanda Ricci is assistant professor at York University.