Julieta Kirkwood: Celebrating 90 Years of a Thinker Who Merged Marxism with Women’s Liberation

Original article: Julieta Kirkwood a 90 años de su natalicio: La pensadora que unió el marxismo con la liberación de las mujeres

Daniela Osorio, a feminist activist, reflects on the relevance of the intellectual who transformed Chilean politics.

In a new episode of Podcastpitalismo, a program by Canal Ciudadano hosted by Javier Pineda, the deep theoretical and activist contributions of Julieta Kirkwood were discussed in honor of her 90th birthday. The interview with Daniela Osorio, a public administrator and member of the academic coordination for the Latin American Critical Thought diploma at the Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities at the University of Chile, emphasized the need to recognize Kirkwood not only as a feminist icon but as a crucial Marxist intellectual for the left.

Osorio pointed out that Kirkwood was a pioneer in integrating emotional dimensions into the analysis of social sciences in the 1980s. For the former spokesperson of the 8M, one of the author’s significant contributions was to shed light on how subjugation extends beyond the public sphere. As she explained, the thinker sought to clarify that both capitalism and patriarchy «are interwoven oppressions that exist with one another,» she asserted.

During the discussion, it was emphasized that Kirkwood’s feminism is not an isolated struggle but a historical materialist analytical tool for transforming reality. Regarding the relevance of her proposals today, Daniela Osorio stated: «What we are problematizing is care, the reproduction of life, meaning that we are gestating and bringing forth the workforce of tomorrow.»

One of the key points in the episode was how Kirkwood warned of the capital’s exploitation of domestic labor. The academic noted that the significance of this thought lies in understanding «how capitalism also takes advantage of this unpaid labor that women and the world’s grandmothers sustain,» she affirmed. This analysis, developed decades ago, remains a critical issue in today’s social demands.

The interview also delved into the role of the Latin American Critical Thought diploma, an initiative aimed at reclaiming these memories for political action. Osorio called for recognizing Kirkwood as a militant who was an active dissident, noting that «Julieta was what she did in her practice; she analyzed reality, constantly participated in feminist activism, and was frequently involved with the party.»

Finally, it was announced that various activities will be held in April to commemorate the sociologist’s birthday, inviting audiences to rediscover her work. For Daniela Osorio, studying Kirkwood today is essential in light of the rise of authoritarian sectors, asserting that her legacy «will also help us adjust and calibrate the compass, especially in this patriarchal restoration we are living through,» she emphasized.

Check out the full episode of Podcastpitalismo: