Converting the unconverted: Narrative and affect in a South African non-governmental organization

Abstract

The Sonke Gender Justice Network, a South African non-governmental organization that strives for gender equity and strengthening democratic institutions, was founded in 2006 and has a long history of diverse community programming and advocacy. In this paper, I draw on ethnographic work conducted within the organization's walls to show the ways in which employees’ narratives of becoming part of Sonke mirror the structure and language of religious conversion narratives. Within these narratives, I use the theoretical framework of “economies of affect” to show how affective experiences and displays serve as valuable tools that employees use to reach community participants. I propose that this analysis allows us a unique lens into NGO work around gender equality, as it considers the importance of affect and conversion in the creation of liberal masculine subjects.