Feminine Narratives and Voices Facilitating Change, Peace, and Demolishing the Hegemony of Dominant Ideologies.

Feminist researchers, thinkers, writers and sociologists have over the years worked to claim the rightful place that feminine voices and women’s contributions and potentials have in all aspects of societal change. As a PhD Scholar and writer carrying out a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded study that adopts a feminist, postcolonial, anti-racist methodology in addressing migrant narratives in literature, I employ short fiction and sociology to catalyse change and represent difference (migrant narratives). In this paper, by focusing on the works of Gayatri Spivak, bell hooks and Kimberlie Crenshaw I will explore what social phenomena underlie the marginalisation women face when being sidelined in policy making processes and thereby being absent from negotiation and decision-making tables in relation to peace building and change.

By focussing on the dilemmas inherent in voicing the marginalised and the power of authorship, and the overlapping dominant ideologies of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism, the paper will analyse how status quo is preserved preventing the demolition of hierarchies thereby stalling and obstructing endeavours towards social equalisation and cohesion. It will also expound the concept of intersectionality of race, gender, geography, and socio-economic class that aid conformism to hegemonic structures deeply rooted in society catalysing polarisation.

In conclusion, focussing on gender disparity, the paper will initiate a dialogue on questioning conformism, addressing the internalisation of dominant ideologies, and the role of power in deeply rooting damaging social norms and traditions that marginalise groups, obstructing them from equal participation and attaining true potential in contributing to social change. It will also consider the hegemony and role of the global west, and the disproportionate distribution of power in the global map and the collective outcome of these in preserving intersectional disparity and marginalising feminine voice from achieving their true and rightful space in social change.