INÉS ALBERDI
“Feminism taught us that the personal is political”
At the second Gender Sociology Conference at the Center for Sociological Research, Inés Alberdi focused her presentation on the role of women in the Spanish Transition and on feminism as the driving force behind that social change. “We learned that the personal is political, and the Spanish Transition was a profound sociological transformation.”
Alberdi recounted the most significant changes that affected women's social and political status and their evolving mindset. In the 1960s, two key factors transformed everything: emigration to Europe and the rise of tourism . "It had an emulative impact," Alberdi explained. "Spaniards who emigrated often returned to their hometowns in the summer to spend their holidays, because paid vacations existed in Europe. And they shared their daily experiences." Alberdi explained how the phenomenon of tourism acted as a driving force for social change. Their behavior served as a point of comparison, allowing Spaniards to observe the differences between their respective lives. They learned about what was happening abroad: political freedom, a free press, democratic organization, unions, and more open romantic relationships. "Everything that was prohibited in Spain was considered a right beyond its borders: desires for democracy, personal autonomy, and geographical mobility emerged. We began to look at Europe with admiration and envy. Fashion, bikinis, and music were the most visible aspects."
But if there was one group that truly experienced this difference, it was women. “We arrive at the most important aspect of the influence that tourism had on women's behavior and aspirations. A desire for modernization emerged: women envied sexual freedom and access to birth control, and they began to wonder how it was possible to be with a husband without getting pregnant.” In the spring of 1975, a fundamental reform arrived: the Law of May 2nd, which restored women's legal capacity . “For the first time in Spanish history, women achieved the equality that came with the 1978 Constitution, which established equality in civil and criminal matters and within marriage. The family model changed, and the status of women in society rose enormously.” Alberdi emphasized that, although we live in a more prosperous society, challenges remain in areas such as employment opportunities, the eradication of violence, and the gender pay gap. “There’s a paradox: feminism often gets bad press and is associated with conflict. There’s a misconception that it’s against men, when in reality it’s a philosophy of defending equality that has had the support of many men throughout history. Sometimes it’s difficult to call yourself a feminist, it’s amazing, but it’s true.”
CONSTANZA TOBIO
“Feminism is perseverance”
Constanza Tobío, winner of the 2021 National Prize for Sociology and Political Science, began her presentation with a thank you to the CIS: “Feminism is perseverance and it is very gratifying to see that these five award winners already represent a social change.”
“I discovered sociology early, at 16, when a copy of the FOESSA survey fell into my hands. I had never seen a book like it. I was amazed by the charts, the tables, the amount of information, and the internal logical structure. When I learned what a survey was, my amazement only grew, so I decided that this was what I wanted to do with my life.” After graduating, she became interested in inequalities and the integration of women into the labor market. “Research is very similar to a detective novel: there’s a mystery, there are clues and evidence that must be carefully analyzed. The mystery I encountered was how, in just two decades, the traditional family model of gender roles was transformed into a model of dual employment.” It was a profound social change, silently spearheaded by women.
So she decided to focus on a specific question: how do full-time working mothers manage? She was initially interested in their narratives: what were their reasons for choosing to work? Half cited family financial necessity, while the other half mentioned a desire for economic independence, personal fulfillment, putting their studies into practice, or escaping the confines of the home. There was a strong focus on employment that went beyond its purely instrumental nature. Work opened the door to a new identity. She then analyzed how caregiving was organized: a process of substitution by other women who care for their children, either as paid caregivers or grandmothers. “The world of care is a universe, a crucial part of social reality that we are still mapping. It is a system involving the state, the family, the market, and the third sector.”