TENSIONS BETWEEN MULTICULTURALISM AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN'S INTERCULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS IN ITALY

A part of feminist liberal theory has identified multiculturalism to be in opposition to women's rights (Okin, 1999) and those theories may become even more appealing in current times of anti/post-multiculturalism. Other authors have advocated for the necessity to distinguish between liberal and critical or reflexive multiculturalism (May and Sleeter, 2010). This article analyses the tension between multiculturalism and women's rights within women's intercultural associations in Italy. It investigates how these organisations have addressed issues which are taken as examples of cultural difference such as female genital mutilations and forced marriages. It aims to respond to the question: to what extent the chosen associations have been able to avoid both the "Scylla of feminist fundamentalism and the Charybdis of cultural relativism?" (Anthias, 2002), thus bringing together feminist and antiracist aims. The article is based on an empirical study carried out through in-depth interviews and documentary analysis.