LETHERBY FEMINIST RESEARCH IN THEORY AND PRACTICE FEMINIST RESEARCH FEMINIST RESEARCH IN THEORY AND PRACTICE This is a clear and accessible exploration of feminist method, methodol- ogy and epistemology. Gayle Letherby charts the debates concerned with the epistemological, political and practical issues involved in doing feminist research, and places the debates within a wider consideration of the status of knowledge. The main focus of the book is the particular and practical issues for feminist researchers. It examines how the process of research affects the results of that research; and explores the relation between politics and practice in terms of research and knowledge production. Throughout the book there is a practical emphasis on specific examples of feminist research in action; and, as well as summarizing current theoretical debates, Gayle Letherby adds to them. IN THEORY AND PRACTICE Feminist Research in Theory and Practice is designed and written as a textbook for students (at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate level), but will be a valuable resource for any researcher or individual interested in cover design by Kate Prentice womenʼs studies, feminism and in researching in the social sciences. Gayle Letherby is Associate Head of Subject (Social Work, Health and Social Sciences) and Deputy Director of the Centre for Social Justice in the School of Health and Social Sciences at Coventry University. She has published widely in the areas of methodology and epistemology; reproduction, kinship and identity; working and learning in higher education; and criminology. GAYLE LETHERBY Feminist research in theory and practice H Feminist research in theory and practice Gayle Letherby Open University Press Buckingham · Philadelphia Open University Press Celtic Court 22 Ballmoor Buckingham MK18 1XW email: [email protected] world wide web: www.openup.co.uk and 325 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA First Published 2003 Copyright © Gayle Letherby 2003 All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency Limited. Details of such licences (for reprographic reproduction) may be obtained from the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd of 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P 0LP. A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0 335 20028 1 (pbk) 0 335 20029 X (hbk) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Letherby, Gayle. Feminist research in theory and practice / Gayle Letherby. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-335-20029-X – ISBN 0-335-20028-1 (pbk.) 1. Women’s studies–Methodology. 2. Feminism–Research–Methodology. I. Title. HQ1180 .L47 2003 305.4’07–dc21 2002030369 Typeset by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Printed in Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, Guildford and King’s Lynn For my mother, Dorothy Thornton, and my father, Ron Thornton (1923–79). With love and gratitude for everything. Contents Acknowledgements xi Introduction 1 Initial thoughts 2 Definitions and meanings 4 Feminism and feminist research 4 Methods, methodology and epistemology 5 The self and other in feminist research 6 Issues of ‘I’ and other 6 The ‘self ’ as researcher 7 Myself and feminist research 9 Introducing myself 9 Developing academic interests 10 This book 15 Relationship to past work 15 Outline of the book 16 Notes 17 Suggested further reading 17 1 Educating Rita revisited: knowledge and language in the ‘male’ academy 19 Introduction 19 The things men know? 20 The construction of woman as ‘other’ 20 Tensions between authorized and experiential knowledge 24 Further tales of exclusion 28 Language and male authority 30 Man-made language? 30 It’s only words 33 viii Contents Storming the doors of academia 35 End points 38 Note 40 Suggested further reading 40 2 United we stand? The feminist reconstruction of knowledge 41 Introduction 41 Stand by your woman 43 Feminist empiricism 43 Feminist standpoint epistemology 44 I am what I am, or am I? 49 The importance of ‘difference’ 49 Postmodernism or poststucturalism? 51 Finding a position 55 Focusing on the material 55 The value of difference 56 Feminist standpoints or feminist epistemologies? 57 End points 59 Notes 59 Suggested further reading 60 3 Doing it for ourselves: feminist research as theory in action 61 Introduction 61 A critique of malestream theory 63 The quest for ‘science’ 63 Generating theory from research 66 Feminist critiques and alternatives 67 The problem of objectivity and bias 70 A feminized approach 72 ‘Defining’ feminist research 72 Bringing women in? 73 Reflexivity and representation 75 End points 79 Suggested further reading 79 4 Quoting and counting: the qualitative/quantitative divide 80 Introduction 80 A short history of the interview 81 ‘Tools’ of research 81 Developing a participatory model 83 The qualitative/quantitative debate in feminism 84 Establishing the parameters of the debate 84 Methods and critiques 85 Contents ix The ‘gendered paradigm’ divide 86 Research-specific methods 87 Doing feminist research 88 Talking, talking, talking 88 Writing, reading and looking 90 Counting and ordering 93 Looking and living 94 Triangulation and innovation 96 End points 97 Suggested further reading 98 5 Whose life is it anyway? Issues of power, empowerment, ethics and responsibility 99 Introduction 99 Getting started 100 Project parameters and research populations 100 Access 102 Study group formation 103 Feminist research in action 107 Beginnings 107 Identity, impression management and emotion work 109 Power, empowerment and ‘emancipatory’ research 114 Leavings and endings 116 Leaving the field 116 Analysing the data 117 End points 120 Note 120 Suggested further reading 121 6 Texts of many lives: the implications for feminist research 122 Introduction 122 Roles and relationships 123 Expert or kindred spirit? 124 Friends and family 126 ‘Counselling’ and research 127 Just good friends? 127 Friendly strangers 129 Further personal reflections 129 Us and them 131 Knotty entanglements 131 Speaking for ‘others’ 134 Feminists and non-feminists 135 Men 137 Researchers’ identities 139 x Contents Auto/biography in research 140 Motivations and coming out 140 Auto/biography in research and research writing 141 End points 143 Suggested further reading 144 7 Close encounters: presentations and audiences 145 Introduction 145 Presenting our work 146 Spreading the word 146 Publish or perish 147 Academic gatekeeping 148 Feminism in fashion! 151 Responses and receptions 152 Academic and other audiences 152 Read all about it: feminism in the media 154 End points 157 Suggested further reading 158 Reflections 159 References 162 Index 181 Acknowledgements Many people have helped me with this book. First and foremost I must thank Jennifer Marchbank and John Shiels, without whose careful critique and positive affirmation I would never have done it. Their support and that of my mum, Dorothy Thornton, got me through the doubts and the sleeplessness. I am also very grateful to the students and colleagues who have helped to shape my thinking on the issues I consider in this book and to the colleagues and friends who have given me the time and space to work. To the following I owe particular thanks: Paul Bywaters, Pam Cotterill, Maureen Hirsch, Stevi Jackson, Karen Ramsay, Gillian Reynolds, Keith Sharp, Liz Stanley, Ruth Waterhouse, Corinne Wilson. Thanks also to Jacinta Evans, Cathy Thompson, Clara Waissbein and Jon Ingoldby for being helpful, kind and patient. H Introduction 1 Introduction Contents Initial thoughts Definitions and meanings Feminism and feminist research Methods, methodology and epistemology The self and other in feminist research Issues of ‘I’ and other The ‘self ’ as researcher Myself and feminist research Introducing myself Developing academic interests This book Relationship to past work Outline of the book Notes Suggested further reading In this book I consider the variety of methods, methodologies and epistemo- logies contained within feminist discourses. While, obviously, I shall try to be as fair as possible in presenting and discussing the work of others, I should make it clear from the outset that my own preferred stance is ‘auto/ biographical’. Developed through the work of Weber (1949), Mills (1959) and the British Sociological Association Study Group ‘Auto/Biography’, this approach essentially starts from the aim of making sociological sense of the self – one’s own history, development and biography – and in locating oneself in social structures, to understand those structures and extrapolate from this to try to understand and respect others’ experiences, feelings and social locations. As I shall detail later, some critics have characterized this approach as introspective, self-indulgent and easy. If pursued properly and 2 Feminist research in theory and practice thoroughly it is none of these things, as I hope to show. Having said this, I emphasize that a preference for one methodological and epistemological schema should not blinker one to the uses and values of others. Different research topics are best served by different methods and approaches. Variety is an essential ingredient and strength of feminist research – an issue I shall consider and discuss throughout. In this introductory chapter I outline some of the things that have influ- enced me in relation to Feminist Research in Theory and Practice. I consider the place of this book in relation to particular writing traditions and my own academic and personal biography. I also define key terms and provide a brief outline of the rest of the book. Initial thoughts There are currently lots of books concerned with issues of method, methodo- logy and epistemology: books concerned with theory and practice in research. If you go to any academic library or read any academic book catalogue you are likely to discover large numbers of books on ‘doing research’ and large numbers of books on the philosophy of research practice.