Political Empowerment in Community-Based Tourism: Leadership and Power Strategies of Women in Yunguilla, Ecuador

Daniela Ortega-Vásconez; Pilar Espeso-Molinero

doi:10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.074

Autores

Daniela Ortega-Vásconez Universidad de Alicante https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4556-4064
Pilar Espeso-Molinero Universidad de Alicante https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5876-3906

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.074

Palavras-chave:

turismo rural, resistência, liderança colaborativa, feminismo, agência

Resumo

O empoderamento político das mulheres no turismo de base comunitária (TBC) é particularmente desafiador. Esta investigação explora o empoderamento político feminino, centrando-se nas dinâmicas de influência, liderança e nas formas subtis de resistência no âmbito de um projeto de TBC no Equador. Com base numa investigação etnográfica (2021-2025) que combina observação participante, conversas informais e entrevistas em profundidade, o estudo analisa de que forma a participação das mulheres em organizações comunitárias fomenta processos de empoderamento político, os seus resultados e as estratégias de resistência utilizadas para desafiar as estruturas de poder dominadas pelos homens. Os resultados revelam que o empoderamento político das mulheres no TBC não se limita à ocupação de cargos oficiais, dependendo antes da sua participação tanto na esfera pública como na privada. As mulheres recorrem a estratégias subtis para desafiar as normas existentes e liderar os seus próprios processos de empoderamento a través da auto-organização, da colaboração e das redes de apoio.

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Biografia do Autor

Daniela Ortega-Vásconez, Universidad de Alicante

Daniela Ortega-Vásconez is Professor-investigator specializing in community-based tourism with a gender perspective, community-based tourism and resilience, sustainable tourism, and rural tourism. She has published in leading academic journals. She participates as an investigator in Ecuadorian case studies within the project "Local-based tourism and rural crisis," funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación - Spain, and the project "Intercultural digital narratives for the preservation of ancestral knowledge, environmental sustainability, and gender equity," funded by the Universidad Nacional de Educación UNAE - Ecuador

Pilar Espeso-Molinero, Universidad de Alicante

Pilar Espeso-Molinero is Professor of Social Anthropology and Academic Secretary of the Department of Contemporary Humanities at the University of Alicante - Spain. She has published in leading academic journals. Her research focuses on the study of tourism as a tool for economic, social and cultural development, with a participatory and decolonial perspective.

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