Since 1990, many democratic regimes have seen an increasing number of democratic innovation apparatuses that have been the subject of many of the reflections of democratic theory. Furthermore, the notion of participation has been a priority since the early stages of the institutionalisation of gender studies. Many analyses of the presence and the voice of women in representative spaces and in social movements have been made. However, both areas of study seem to have developed in parallel, giving rise to a knowledge gap when it comes to the participation of women in public affairs by the democratic innovation apparatuses. This article is situated at the intersection of those areas. It analyses the relationship between women's participation and the extension of the public sphere in terms of obstacles. Based on the analysis of the participatory biographies of 42 women and six men who participate in 15 democratic innovation apparatuses implemented between 1978 and 2014 in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (Spain), five discussion groups and two direct observations, the obstacles met by the women when carrying out their participatory project in those governance apparatuses are identified. The article concludes by highlighting the currency of the public versus private and reason versus emotion categories to explain the objectivized and incorporated structure of the obstacles. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Resumen. Este artículo explora las contradicciones, obstáculos, y placeres que experimentan las mujeres integradas en grupos armados en donde la participación está atravesada por ciertas variables que condicionan y polarizan, más si cabe, las relaciones de género (ilegalidad, clandestinidad, violencia). Con este fin se han analizado las vidas de 25 mujeres y 6 hombres integrantes de ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna). Por un lado, a través de sus historias, el artículo presta especial atención a cuáles son las motivaciones de las mujeres para integrarse en ETA y qué factores obstaculizan y ayudan a esa integración. Por otro lado, aborda qué placeres, riesgos y contradicciones viven en todo su proceso participativo una vez integradas ya en la estructura de ETA. Las principales conclusiones muestran que, para su integración, entre los principales elementos limitadores se encuentran la neutralización familiar y territorial. Por el contrario, actúan como facilitadores la ventaja y posición tácita de su género. Además, desarrollan sistemáticamente estrategias para superar las dificultades, como movimientos territoriales o contactos puente. Una vez dentro, tienen que hacer frente a obstáculos derivados, entre otros, de los mandatos de la clandestinidad y la división sexual del trabajo. Así, el exilio y la militancia en el extranjero se constituyen como fuente de riesgos y placeres al mismo tiempo. Palabras clave: Participación; mujeres en grupos armados; ETA; obstáculos; estrategias; placeres; contradicciones; riesgos.[en] Motivations, Enlist and Women´s Participation Experiences in ETA Abstract. This article explores how women who have participated in armed groups experience obstacles, contradictions and pleasures. This participation is crossed by variables which influence and even further polarize gender relationships (illegality, clandestine situation, violence). For that purpose, this research use as methodology twenty five women and six men life stories, who have participated in ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna). Through their testimonies, this article focus on why these women are motivated to join ETA and what factors help or hinder that involvement. On the other hand, it deals with how these women combatants experience pleasures, risks and contradictions when they are part of ETA´s structure. Regarding the main conclusions we see that during the process of integration there are preclusive factors, as familiar and territorial neutralization but also enabling ones, as advantage and tacit position of their genre. Moreover, they develop strategies in order to neutralize the difficulties, such as territorial movements, bridging contacts. Once inside, they have to face obstacles that are the result, among others, of the rules of clandestine life and the sexual division

Cet article vise à identifier les obstacles rencontrés par les femmes dans leurs projets de participation au sein des espaces d’innovation démocratique déployés dans la Communauté Autonome du Pays basque (État espagnol). À partir d’une approche dialectique, nous analysons les façons dont le système sexe-genre à domination masculine y est reproduit. Nous revenons sur les quatre principaux ensembles d’obstacles identifiés comme contraignant la participation des femmes dans les processus d’innovation démocratique analysés, à savoir : les structures sociales institutionnalisées, les éléments liés à une absence de pouvoir symbolique, l’organisation formelle du dispositif démocratique et les structures sociales incorporées. Nous insisterons, en conclusion, sur la nécessité d’agir sur ces dernières pour contribuer à la neutralisation progressive du système de domination masculine dont les normes se trouvent reproduites au sein des dispositifs d’innovations démocratiques.

This article sets out presenting the methodological toolbox created for the study of very specific reality: the gathering of oral information in the study of armed conflicts. Taking as a valid reference the oral history technique, we explored new methodological processes that allowed us to reach the lives and stories of the people interviewed more deeply, with a closer approach to their lives, but at the same time respecting and ensuring maximum access and confidentiality. To do this, the oral history methodology was reviewed with the main contributions of feminist epistemology. Thereby, we created ex profeso new methodological processes adapted to study the role of women as violence perpetrators in armed conflicts. Our proposal expands up to 5 different phases with either technical or emotional functions. The validity of this new methodological toolbox has been tested through an extensive research in the armed conflict of the Basque Country (Spain) performing oral histories to 25 women and 10 men.