Which Feminisms Mobilize? Organizational Ideologies and Women’s Protest Participation Worldwide, 1980–2024

This article explores how ideological fragmentation within transnational women’s organizations influences patterns of women’s protest participation. The novel FEMPOWER dataset (1980–2024), harmonized with data from the World Values Survey and administrative political and economic data across 199 countries (N = 8,957), yields new data-driven perspectives on feminist organizing. Applying two-level linear regression models, I find that organizations grounded in social justice and difference feminist ideologies significantly boost women’s protest participation, in contrast to those aligned with neoliberal or sameness-oriented frameworks. Contrary to prevailing critiques of NGO-ization, the service-oriented organizations facilitate, rather than suppress, mobilization. These findings emphasize the role of fragmented solidarities, a form of strategic diversity, reinforcing feminist mobilization efforts rather than diluting them. It questions the premise that ideological uniformity is required for effective collective action. Instead, it demonstrates how contemporary feminism utilizes ideological fragmentation, diverse strategies, and types of engagement as sources of tactical strength.