Slide 1:1 HOW FEMININE DO YOU NEED TO BE? This and other issues in conducting feminist research. M. Aaron Gilligan, MSN, PhD student Qualitative Research NSG 913, Fall 2008


Slide 2:DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How can “feminist research” be differentiated from other traditional forms of research? 2. How did historical philosophies prior to the 1900’s generate the development of feminine research?  3. Should feminine research be limited to female researchers? 2


Differentiating feminist researchA definition in flux :Differentiating feminist researchA definition in flux Perspective presumes the importance of gender in human and societal processes and orients the study in that direction. A sense of connectedness and equality between researcher and researched. Integrating acknowledgement and value to a “woman’s way of thinking” (reason, emotion, intuition, experience, and analytic thought). Participatory processes that support consciousness-raising and researcher flexibility. (Patton 2002, p.129) 3


Slide 4:4 “FEMINIST THEORY – OF ALL KINDS – IS TO BE BASED ON …THE VARIETY OR REAL LIFE STORIES WOMEN PROVIDE ABOUT THEMSELVES” (Lugones and Spelman, 1990, p.21). The validation of feminist data collected by men regarding women’s issues is like trying to force a square peg into a round hole..although it may be well intended, the frame of reference is lacking.


What are some examples of feminist research? :What are some examples of feminist research? Patricia Zavella’s (1996) research discovering Mexican background did not suffice in studying female Mexican factory workers. Diane Reay (1996) reflected on class in her analysis of mothers involvement in their children’s primary schooling. Ann Phoenix (1994) addresses issues of commonalities, differences, subjectivities, and the contradictory nature of positioning, which are central concerns from feminist and anti-racist politics. Nancy Scheper-Hughes’s (1992) exploration of motherhood and poverty in northeastern Brazil.


Slide 6:6 Patti Lather’s (1997) research on HIV positive women and the impact on family and society. Tiya Miles’ (1995) Studies on womanist theology, "Speckled Birds," Journal of Interdenominational Theological Center, Special Issue: Perspectives on Womanist Theology 22:2 (fall 1995): 249-253. Examples of feminist research…continued Marjorie DeVault’s (1990) Talking and Listening from Women’s standpoint: Feminist strategies for interviewing and analysis. Anita Anantharam (2008) Bodies that Remember: Women's Indigenous Knowledge and Cosmopolitanism in South Asia (manuscript under currently under review.


Slide 7:7 How did historical philosophies prior to the 1900’s generate the development of feminine research? Take a visual journey and meet the great minds that formed the basis of accepted schools of thought…


Slide 8:Feminist researchers argue that qualitative and quantitative research models are biased because they present distorted knowledge about the world. The knowledge that has been reflected has been with a specific orientation in mind that of men, and more specifically, white, middle class, heterosexual men. 8


Slide 9:A unique feature of feminist research is as women, both researcher and participant share a common location in the social world on the basis of gender and can communicate on the basis of this similarity. Caution: Gender similarities do not transcend all social locations. 9


Slide 10:Issues surrounding race, class or orientation of the interviewer to the participant are important to address in feminist research. Rosalind Edwards notes, race can be a barrier for women seeking to do research “outside” of the own race, where finding participants will to take part in the research can be difficult (Edwards, 1990, p.483). 10


Slide 11:11


So what about the question: “How feminine do you need to be to conduct feminist research?” :So what about the question: “How feminine do you need to be to conduct feminist research?” 12 It is incorrect to surmise that simply having an XX chromosome entitles you to be a feminist researcher. Nor is it correct to think studying female gender as a category defines “feminist research”. The goal of feminist research is to listen and ultimately to learn from women’s lived experiences. Males can participate in this research IF they demonstrate understanding of the following:


In conclusion… :In conclusion… 13


Slide 14:Judith Cook and Mary Fonow, (1986) identified five principles of feminist knowledge: the necessity of continuously and reflexively attending to the significance of gender relations as a basic feature of all social life, including the conduct of research; the centrality of consciousness-raising as a specific methodological tool and as a "way of seeing;" 14


Judith Cook and Mary Fonow, (1986) identified five principles of feminist knowledge cont…: :Judith Cook and Mary Fonow, (1986) identified five principles of feminist knowledge cont…: 3) the need to challenge the norm of "objectivity" that assumes a dichotomy between the subject and object of research; 4) the concern for the ethical implications of research; 5) And, an emphasis on the transformation of patriarchy and the empowerment of women. 15


title :title 16 Participation in the presentation and questions to be continued on discussion board…looking forward to hearing from you!