'Nobody but a Bunch of Mothers': Grassroots Activism and Women's Leadership in 1970s Melbourne

Renate Howe

Abstract

This group biography draws on oral history interviews to show how crucial women’s leadership was to Melbourne’s urban protest movement in the 1970s. Inner city residents’ action groups were characterised by a high degree of participation by women. For most it was a radicalising experience as they became involved in action for the first time in their lives. Their involvement in local action and politics contributed to the development of more open and participatory governance focused on community building and environmental issues.

Keywords

women, activism, Melbourne, urban politics

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