Yesterday, we had a group presentation in my Interpretive/Qualitative Methods class. See, the class divided into 4 groups (ethnography, feminist methodologies, process-tracing/genealogy, and discourse analysis) and each group presents a different methodology. We were the feminist methodology group. In a nutshell: feminist methodologies is a guiding practice, not necessarily a particular method. It is a methodology that challenges existing power inequities in order to empower women and marginalized people.
Historically, women have been absent and rendered invisible in political science research. However, research shows that women are not apolitical. This demonstrates that the justifications used to exclude women were based upon the social construction of gender and gender role socialization, not natural and immutable differences between women and men. Previous research operated under the assumption that men were the norm and that research was gender neutral and universal. However, we see that this is not the case and that gender is an important category of analysis because it shows that women do not neatly fit into existing frameworks and structures. Furthermore, there is not a universal "woman" or "man," so we need to recognize cleavages resulting from racial, ethnic, and class differences among women and men. To account for this, intersectionality (the idea that we have multiple identities and can be simultaneously privileged and marginalized) has emerged as a category of analysis to account for these multiple identities.
Our presentation went really well, and I enjoyed exposing the class to this perspective. I truly enjoy any opportunity to teach others about my research interests and introduce them to feminist theory. Yet, there seemed to be some resistance to feminist methodologies, which was to be expected. Although it may seem counterintuitive to highlight the differences revolving around race, gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, it is important to do so anyway. When we act as though everyone is the same, it is impossible to remedy the resulting inequalities, stratification, and oppressions that arise from political processes and institutional structures. So, this is why I study race and gender. It doesn't mean that I hate men or that I think white people are evil. It just means that a goal of my research is empower previously marginalized groups and challenge dominant paradigms.
Historically, women have been absent and rendered invisible in political science research. However, research shows that women are not apolitical. This demonstrates that the justifications used to exclude women were based upon the social construction of gender and gender role socialization, not natural and immutable differences between women and men. Previous research operated under the assumption that men were the norm and that research was gender neutral and universal. However, we see that this is not the case and that gender is an important category of analysis because it shows that women do not neatly fit into existing frameworks and structures. Furthermore, there is not a universal "woman" or "man," so we need to recognize cleavages resulting from racial, ethnic, and class differences among women and men. To account for this, intersectionality (the idea that we have multiple identities and can be simultaneously privileged and marginalized) has emerged as a category of analysis to account for these multiple identities.
Our presentation went really well, and I enjoyed exposing the class to this perspective. I truly enjoy any opportunity to teach others about my research interests and introduce them to feminist theory. Yet, there seemed to be some resistance to feminist methodologies, which was to be expected. Although it may seem counterintuitive to highlight the differences revolving around race, gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, it is important to do so anyway. When we act as though everyone is the same, it is impossible to remedy the resulting inequalities, stratification, and oppressions that arise from political processes and institutional structures. So, this is why I study race and gender. It doesn't mean that I hate men or that I think white people are evil. It just means that a goal of my research is empower previously marginalized groups and challenge dominant paradigms.
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