Strategies in the fight for legalising abortion: A qualitative interview study on the strategies used in Argentina’s abortion rights movement

Sammanfattning: This exploratory investigation examines the Argentinian social movement for abortion rights, to provide material of strategies used by a successful social movement. By conducting interviews with participants of the movement, scholars, and representatives of feminist organisations in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the research gains first-hand insight to chart the strategies that were used. Assisting the analysis, a theoretical background of Social Movement Theory (McAdam-McCarthy-Zald 1996) and Thinking about Strategy (Meyer-Staggenborg 2012) is used to add a wider perspective on why strategies were adopted or successful, and how societal structures can benefit a social movement. The results indicate that consistently targeting the state from several ends was central in this movement. Some strategies that were heavily represented in the empirical findings are marching in the streets, creating an identity with a green kerchief, and spreading information and educate. These can all be traced to the existence of an organised Campaign and feminist alliances. The National Campaign for Legal, Safe and Free Abortion was crucial in the case of Argentina, providing material and tactics, maintaining, and expanding the movement. Most importantly, the investigation reveals that this combination of strategies along with some societal structures created a powerful synergy that enabled the movement’s impact.