Practising the personal in a political context: How the FORT movement contributed to a spiritual and political consciousness for feminists in the Netherlands between 1975–1988 | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
2004
Volume 25 Number 3
  • ISSN: 1388-3186
  • E-ISSN: 2352-2437

Abstract

Abstract

This article discusses the history of FORT (Feministische Oefengroepen Radicale Therapie), a Dutch ‘consciousness-raising’ movement during the era of second-wave feminism. In comparison to other consciousness-raising groups, FORT groups focused even more on exploring the personal in a political context. Still, contemporary feminists as well as historiographers have argued that the FORT groups were mostly spiritual rather than political. Based on oral history interviews with former FORT women, an analysis of written primary sources, and literature study, this article further explores this paradox. It is argued that, for the women involved, the ‘internal’ spiritual path of action and the ‘external’ activist path of action were very much intertwined, and both paths were political. This interpretation challenges the dichotomy of spiritual versus political, and once again confirms that the personal is, in fact, political.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5117/TVGN2022.3.002.SMEE
2022-10-01
2024-04-18
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/13883186/25/3/TVGN2022.3.002.SMEE.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5117/TVGN2022.3.002.SMEE&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Beasley, C. (1999). What is feminism?: An introduction to feminist theory. California: Sage Publications.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Castro, G. (1990). American feminism: A contemporary history. New York: New York University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chapman, R. (2010). Culture wars: An encyclopedia of issues, viewpoints, and voices (2nd ed.). London: Routledge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Costera-Meijer, I. (1996). Het persoonlijke wordt politiek: Feministische bewustwording in Nederland, 1965–1980. Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Glenn, M. (1971). Inleiding. In J.Agel (Ed.), Het ‘radical therapist’ collectief: Niet aanpassen: veranderen! (pp. 7–10). Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, NVSH.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Harberts, M. (1984). Ter inleiding. In J.Smit & M.Harberts (Eds.), Er is een land waar vrouwen willen wonen: teksten 1967–1981. Amsterdam: Feministische Uitgeverij Sara.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Het Landelijk FORT-Secretariaat. (1979). FORT-groepen in Nederland. In H.Wyckoff, Vrouwenpraatgroepen: feministische oefengroepen radicale therapie (F.de Graaff, Trans.). Amsterdam: Bert Bakker.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Jouwe, N. (2016). Standing at the crossroads: The black, migrant and refugee women’s movement in the Netherlands. Historica, 3, 3–8.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Leydesdorff, S., Meulenbelt, A., & Outshoorn, J. (1975). Feminisme in Nederland 1968–1975. Ter Elfder Ure. Feminisme, 1(20), 606–622.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Leavy, P.L. (2011). The practice of feminist oral history and focus group interviews. In S.Hesse-Biber (Ed.), Feminist Research Practice (pp. 149–186). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Ouborg, E. (1986). Feministische therapie in theorie en praktijk bij de Stichting Balsemien. Stichting Balsemien.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Pheterson, G. (2008). Van radicale psychiatrie naar feministische therapie in Nederland. Tijdschrift Deviant, 59, 18–19.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Pronk, I. (2006). Uitgesproken vrouwen: vrouwenpraatgroepen in Nederland 1970–1980. Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies, 9(2), 26–36.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Ribberink, A. (1987). Politiek Veelstromenland: feminisme. Leiden: Stichting Burgerschapskunde, Nederlands Centrum voor Politieke Vorming.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Rodnitzky, J.L. (1999). Feminist phoenix: The rise and fall of a feminist counterculture. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Rooselaar, A. (1980). Van radicale psychiatrie naar FORT. Maandblad voor Geestelijke Volksgezondheid, 80(6/7), 492–514.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Steiner, C. (1971). De beginselen van de radicale psychiatrie. In J.Agel (Ed.), Het ‘radical therapist collectief: Niet aanpassen: veranderen! (pp. 18–21). Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, NVSH.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Tijsseling, A. (2015). De tweede feministische golf in Nederland: een historiografische inleiding. Leidschrift, 30(2), 7–25.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Van Mens-Verhulst, J. (2008). Vrouwen(zelf)hulp: radicaal en spiritueel. In J.van Mens-Verhulst & B.Waaldijk (Eds.), Vrouwenhulpverlening 1975–2000 (pp. 81–98). Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Van Og, R. (1985). De FORT-gang van de praatgroep. Marge, 3, 106–112.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Whitley, R. (2012). The antipsychiatry movement: Dead, diminishing, or developing?Psychiatric Services, 63(10), 1039–1041.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Wyckoff, H. (1979). Vrouwenpraatgroepen: feministische oefengroepen radicale therapie (F.de Graaff, Trans.). Amsterdam: Bert Bakker.
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5117/TVGN2022.3.002.SMEE
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error