Researcher ORCID Identifier
0009-0001-1670-5799
Graduation Year
2025
Date of Submission
4-2025
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
Reader 1
Aseema Sinha
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2025 Aara Nanavaty
Abstract
This thesis examines the complex power dynamics within the United States feminist movement across its four waves, focusing on the persistent marginalization of Black women. Challenging the notion of a unified feminist agenda, it applies Steven Lukes' three dimensions of power to analyze how dominant narratives, often centered on the experiences of White, upper-middle-class women, have shaped feminist discourse and outcomes. Through case studies of the division within the suffrage movement, the President's Commission on the Status of Women, and the “Lean In” phenomenon, this research reveals how power operates not only between men and women but also within feminist movements themselves. It argues that cultural gains and increased representation are insufficient without addressing the structural barriers, non-decision-making processes, and manipulated beliefs that perpetuate inequality. By uncovering the subtle yet powerful mechanisms of exclusion, this thesis seeks to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how power functions within feminism and how a more inclusive movement can be realized.
Recommended Citation
Nanavaty, Aara, "Selective Sisterhood: Power, Race, and the Internal Division within Feminist Waves in the United States" (2025). CMC Senior Theses. 3978.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3978
