Feminist bodies, affect and the radicalisation of democracy: An investigation into feminist mobilisations in Spain

This thesis aims to rethink the radicalisation of democracy through an affective lens by shedding light to the way in which feminist mobilisations might contribute to the radicalisation of democracy. Understanding the latter as the process of deepening and disrupting democracy, the research engages with literature that theorises the relationship between feminist mobilisations and democracy, to argue that the affective dimension in the articulation of feminist mobilisations is under-explored when it comes to understanding the radicalisation of democracy. Therefore, the thesis aims to move beyond the literature that builds on the horizon of women as a foundational category of feminism, and the linguistic focus of agonistic demands, to further understand the role of affect and emotions in articulating feminist bodies that allow for concerted political action. The research takes as a main case for study recent feminist mobilisations in Spain, and follows affect and emotions through a series of interviews and an analysis of theatre performances. Ultimately, the thesis contributes to the literature on radical democracy and feminist mobilisations arguing for the importance of the role of affect and affective readings in holding feminist bodies together that destabilise affective understandings of the world.