Reflexivity in Practice

Abstract

This article focuses on the efforts of an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in Sweden. KtK (Kvinna till Kvinna) partners with local women’s organizations in postconflict societies to carry out “peace work.” Drawing upon postcolonial feminist theory and field work, the authors explore how KtK strives to practice reflexivity in its relationships with partners. Through these organizing practices, women who have been marginalized before, during, and after conflict struggle together to resist misrepresentations, reclaim spaces for political action, and reconfigure the meanings of sustainability by focusing on long-term networking and relationships. The authors’ analysis points to the struggles and opportunities of international organizing driven by feminist ideals and goals for peace and reconstruction.