Organizing for social change through cooperative action: The [dis]empowering dimensions of women's communication

The present article investigates a communication, education, and training i ntervention program intended to initiate a sense of empowerment among women dairy farmers in India. A conceptualization of communication and empowerme nt is offered. The empowering and disempowering dimensions of women's commu nication are highlighted through the participants' own words and experience s. Our analysis of the communicative dimensions of women's empowerment yiel ds 3 important insights. First, women's empowerment is displayed through di fferent forms of communication and feminist action, particularly when women organize to accomplish social change within their families and communities . Second, empowement is embedded in democratic practices, especially when w omen discuss issues and make decisions that improve their quality of life. Third; paradox and contradiction are an important part of the empowerment p rocess.