Struggle, resistance and reexistence of women in the province of Azuay-Ecuador in defense of their territory

Abstract

This article explores the stories of struggle and resistance of women in the province of Azuay, Ecuador, in defense of their territories against the extractivist model. Through the methodology of oral history, the trajectories of these women are reconstructed, making visible how they face the impacts of the modern colonial capitalist system in their communities. Azuayan women articulate their resistance from a corporal-affective perspective, where territory is understood as an integral part of their identity and community. This approach reveals the intersection of multiple oppressions (class, gender, race/ethnicity), challenging the social sciences to integrate a critical and decolonial gaze in their analysis. The study underscores the need to recognize and amplify the voice and agency of women in these movements. Finally, a reflection on how social sciences can contribute to the dismantling of hegemonic discourses is proposed.

Keywords: Women, resistance, body-territory, extractivism, oral history.