HDF 607 Feminist Theory and Research Methodologies S03

Instructor: Dr. Mary Y. Morgan - 130 Stone (256-0096), mymorgan@uncg.edu, 282-3852-h

Course Description:The focus will be research issues associated with the new scholarship on women and pertaining to the interdisciplinary study of women and their families. Connection and distinctions between interpretive and critical science research methods and feminist analytic methods will be examined. The assigned readings represent feminist perspective on scholarship as well as feminist contributions to collaborative research. Among issues to be examined are those of passionate scholarship, the particular dilemmas of interviewing women, ethical issues in feminist research, and objectivity, subjectivity, and "truth". Practical experience in designing and conducting a brief feminist research project will be offered. An interactive learning context will be fostered to minimize competition and maximize personal process and intellectual growth.

Course Objectives:1. To examine the feminist practices associated with evolving epistemologies, research

strategies, and calls for social change.2. To understand how the theories and research methods we use influence the phenomena

we study.3. To understand how our subjective life experiences influence the research process.4. To develop and practice skills in designing, conducting, and analyzing narratives in

ways that utilize feminist theory and research methods.5. To create a feminist pedagogical environment by exploring theory, research

strategies, and life experiences in interaction with others.

Course Requirement:1. Attendance and Participation

To promote active involvement in this seminar, participants are expected to come to class prepared to discuss assigned readings and homework assignments. During the last few weeks of class, students will lead discussions on selected topics and share their work.

2. Family StorySelect a story, legacy, or ritual from your own family experience and analyze its meanings in terms of what it reveals about yourself, your family, or your family's history. Due

5Feb.

3. Mini-Interpretive ProjectInterview a class member about some aspect of their life history. Specifically, prepare an in-depth interview guide of questions to ask your respondent, conduct the interview using a tape recorder, transcribe the tape, conduct a content analysis of the interview identifying major themes. Discuss the written interpretation with your respondent for feedback, revise as necessary, then write a paper on the major themes as well as your preconceptions and the interview process itself. Since class members are the subjects for this project, you will serve as a respondent for another student's interview. Due 2Apr.

4. Feminist Research ProjectDesign a study on some aspect of women's lives using an alternative research approach. OR Read and critique a book of your own choice related to feminist theory. OR Plan a seminar/workshop/paper that incorporates feminist theory and/or methodology. OR other ideas?? Due 30Apr.

5. Class Presentation – Feminist Research Processes [See last page]

Required Readings:Selected articles on electronic reserves in Jackson Library. See references for complete citations.

Course Outline:

Date Topics Readings_____________________________________________________________________1/15 introduction1/22 feminist frameworks Pearsall value theory

Jaggar feminist frameworksBergh renamingFlax, 1986 women do theoryHartsock revolutionary strategyGross what is feminist theoryGordon what’s new in women’s history

1/29 epistemology Nielsen introductionStanley & Wise back into the personalHawkesworth knowersLather deconstructing inquiryHarding, 1992 instabilities of FT categories

2/5 diversity of thought Lugones & Spelman cultural imperialismCollins Black feminist thoughtKing Black feminist ideologyHurtado relating to privilege

2/12 feminist critique of science Keller gender and scienceWestkott feminist criticism of the social scienceHarding, 1986 science women in feminismNamenwirth science thru feminist prismHughes significant differencesStanley & Wise obscene phone calls (example)Pugh statistics and feminism (example)

2/19 feminist research methods Thompson feminist methodologyguidelines/methodology Klein feminist methodology

Weiler methodologyCook & Fonow. knowledge... issues of

epistemology

2/26 interviewing women Anderson, et.al. beginning where we areOakley interviewing womenWeber nature of interviewingMeasor interviewingEdwards interviewing Black women Cotterill

interviewing womenChase taking narrative seriously

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3/5 passionate scholarship Du Bois values, language, methodcollaborative research Acker, et.al. objectivity & truth

Hoff collaborative feminist researchBhavnani feminist research & objectivityArmstead feminist research & writingShields & Dervin collaborative research

interviews in class

alternative modes of inquirycriteria for research Brown guidelines of good research (resource)

Coomer & Hultgren outline of methods (handout)

Jax outline of methods (handout)

3/12 Spring Break

3/19 interpretive inquiry Hultgren interpretive inquirySuransky phenomenologyvan Manen phenomenological writingPeterat, 1987 review of being a feministTesch research experienceBrayboy & Morgan Indianness (example)Morgan & Opiyo (example)Blaisure & Allen marital equality (example)Stinson, et.al. dance (example)

3/26 critical science Coomer critical inquiryComstock critical researchMorgan & Rhoden critical scienceOdero & Morgan (example)Roberts, et.al. faking (example to use)

4/2 research as praxis Lather feminist perspective on methodologiesLather research as praxisReinharz action researchMies methodologySmall action research

4/9 issuesrace and class bias Cannon, et.al. race & class bias

Morgan research w/ Black studentsDyck, et.al. women talking

4/16 ethics & intuition LaRossa ethical dilemmasShostak !Kung woman

4/23 feminism and family studies Thompson & Walker feminism & family studiesFerree feminism & family research

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4/16 feminist research processes4/23 Select one of the research processes below, gather appropriate readings, and

lead4/30 class discussion. Include a description of the methodology, its purpose and uses,

an example of research using it, and a list of references. (I have a selection of articles for each topic that you may add to.)

auto/biography

narratives

oral history

analyzing visual texts

drama/content analysis

historical documentary

women's cross-cultural

ethnography

quantitative

multiple methods

Final: Friday, May 9, 3:30-6:30pm Take-home exam due (>5 pages) Individual presentations of projects (>10 minutes)

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Feminist Theory and Research Methods References S03

Acker, J., Barry, K. and Esseveld, Johanna. (1983). Objectivity and truth: Problems in doing feminist research. Women's Studies International Forum, 6(4), 423-235.

Anderson, K., Armitage, S., Jack, D., & Witter, J. (1990). Beginning where we are: Feminist methodology in oral history. In J. Nielsen (Ed.), Feminist research methods (94-112). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Armstead, C. (1995). Writing contradictions: Feminist research and feminist writing. Women’s Studies International Forum, 18(5/6), 627-636.

Bhavnani, K. (1993). Tracing the contours: Feminist research and feminist objectivity. Women’s Studies International Forum, 16(2), 95-104.

Blaisure, K. & Allen, K. (1995). Feminists and the ideology and practice of marital equality. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57 (5-19).

Brayboy, M.E. & Morgan, M.Y. (1998). Voices of Indianness: The lived world of Native American women. Women's Studies International Forum, 21(4), 341-354.

Bergh, N.V.D. (1987). Renaming: Vehicle for empowerment. In J. Penfield (Ed.), Women and language in transition (pp. 130-136). Albany: SUNY Press.

Brown, M. (1989). What are the qualities of good research? In F. Hultgren & D. Coomer (Eds.), Alternative modes of inquiry in home economics research (pp. 257-297). Peoria, IL: Glencoe Publishing Company.

Cannon, L.W., Higginbotham, E., & Leung, M. (1988). Race and class bias in qualitative research on women. Gender and Society, 2(4), 449-462.

Chase, S.E. (1995). Taking narrative seriously: Consequences for method and theory in interview studies. In R. Josselson, R. & A. Lieblich (Eds.), Interpreting experience: The narrative study of lives (pp. 1-26). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Collins, P.H. (1991). The social construction of Black feminist thought. Signs: Journal of Women and Culture, 14(4), 745-773.

Comstock, D.E. (1982). A method for critical research. In E. Buedo & W. Feinberg (Eds.), Knowledge and values in social and educational research (pp. 370-390). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Cook, J.A. & Fonow, M.M. (1990). Knowledge and women’s interests: Issues of epistemology and methodology in feminist sociological research. In J. Nielsen (Ed.), Feminist research methods (69-93). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Coomer, D.L. (1989). Introduction to critical inquiry. In F. Hultgren & D. Coomer (Eds.), Alternative modes of inquiry in home economics research (pp. 167-184). Peoria, IL: Glencoe Publishing Company.

Cotterill, P. (1992). Interviewing women: Issues of friendship, vulnerability, and power. Women’s Studies International Forum, 15(5/6), 593-606.

Du Bois, B. (l983). Passionate scholarship: Notes on values, knowing and method in feminist social science. In G. Bowles & R.D. Klein (Eds.), Theories of women's studies (pp. 105-116). London: Routledge.

Dyck, I., Lynam, J. & Anderson, J. (1995). Women talking: Creating knowledge through difference in cross-cultural research. Women’s Studies International Forum, 18(5/6), 611-626.

Edwards, R. (1990). Connecting method and epistemology: A white woman interviewing Black women. Women's Studies International Forum, 13(5), 477-490.

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Flax, J. (1986). Women do theory. In M. Pearsall (Ed.), Women and values: Readings in recent feminist philosophy, pp. 2-7. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.

Ferree, M.M. (1990). Beyond separate spheres: Feminism and family research. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, 866-884.

Gross, E. (1992). What is feminist theory? In H. Crowley & S. Himmelweit (Eds.), Knowing women: Feminism and knowledge, (pp. 355-369). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Polity Press.

Harding, S.G. (1992). The instability of the analytical categories of feminist theory. In H. Crowley & S. Himmelweit (Eds.) Knowing women: Feminism and knowledge (pp. 338-354). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Polity Press. [originally published in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 11(4), Summer 1986]

Harding, S.G. (1986). From the woman question in science to the science question in feminism. The science questions in feminism (pp. 15-29). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Hartsock, N. (1986). Feminist theory and the development of revolutionary strategy. In M. Pearsall (Ed.), Women and values: Readings in recent feminist philosophy (pp. 8-18). Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.

Hawkesworth, M.E. (l989). Knowers, knowing, known: Feminist theory and claims of truth. Signs, 14(3), 533-557.

Hoff, L.A. (1988). Collaborative feminist research and the myth of objectivity. In K. Yllo & M. Bograd (Eds.), Feminist perspectives on wife abuse (pp. 269-281). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Hughes, D. (1995). Significant differences: The construction of knowledge, objectivity, and dominance. Women’s Studies International Forum, 18(4), 395-406.

Hultgren, F.H. (1989). Introduction to interpretive inquiry. In F. Hultgren & D. Coomer (Eds.), Alternative modes of inquiry in home economics research (pp. 37-59). Peoria, IL: Glencoe Publishing Company.

Hurtado, A. (l988). Relating to privilege: Seduction and rejection in the subordination of white women and women of color. Signs: Journal of Women and Culture, 14, 833-855.

Jagger, A. & Struhl, P. (1986). Alternative feminist frameworks: The roots of oppression, Feminist frameworks (pp. 79-85). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Keller, E.F. (1990). Gender and science. In J. Nielsen (Ed.), Feminist research methods (41-57). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

King, D.K. (1989). Multiple jeopardy, multiple consciousness: The context of a Black feminist ideology. In M. Malson, J. O'Barr, S. Westphal-Wihl, & M. Wyer (Eds.), Feminist theory in practice and process (pp. 75-105). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Klein, R.D. (1983). How to do what we want to do: Thoughts about feminist methodology. In G. Bowles & R. Klein (Eds.), Towards a methodology for feminist research (pp.88-104). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

LaRossa, R., Bennet, L.A. & Gelles, R.J. (l981). Ethical dilemmas in qualitative family research. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 43, 303-313.

Lather, P. (1988). Feminist perspectives on empowering research methodologies. Women's Studies International Forum, 11(6), 569-581.

Lather, P. (1991). Deconstructing/deconstructive inquiry: The politics of knowing and being known. Getting smart: Feminist research and pedagogy within the postmodern (pp. 86-101). New York: Routledge.

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Lather, P. (1986). Research as praxis. Harvard Educational Review, 56(3), 257-277.

Lugones, M.C. & Spelman, E.V. (l986). Have we got a theory for you! Feminist theory, cultural imperialism and the demand for "the woman's voice". In M. Pearsall (Ed.), Women and values: Readings in recent feminist philosophy (pp. 19-31). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Measor, L. (1985). Interviewing: A strategy in qualitative research. In R. Burgess (Ed.), Strategies of educational research: Qualitative methods (pp. 55-77). Philadelphia: The Falmer Press.

Mies, M. (1983). Towards a methodology for feminist research. In G. Bowles & R. Klein (Eds.), Theories of women's studies (pp. 117-139). London: Routledge.

Morgan, M.Y. (1998). The process of critical science in exploring racism and sexism with black college women. In K. Conway-Turner, Cherrin, Schiffman, & Turkel (Eds.), Women's studies in transition: The pursuit of interdisciplarity (pp. 156-172). Delaware, MJ: University of Delaware Press.

Morgan, M.Y. & Opiyo, F.A. (2000). Rural Kenyan Luo women’s daily lives: Reflections of interdependence and multiplicity. Submitted to Women’s Studies Quarterly.

Morgan, M.Y. & Rhoden, J.L. (1995). Change in white college women's understanding of sexism: Empowerment through critical reflection. National Women's Studies Association Journal, 7(2), 35-57.

Namenwirth, M. (1986). Science seen through a feminist prism. In R. Bleier (Ed.), Feminist approaches to science (pp. 18-41). New York: Pergamon Press.

Nielsen, J.M. (1990). Introduction. In J. Nielsen (Ed.), Feminist research methods (1-37). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Oakley. A. (l981). Interviewing women: A contradiction in terms. In H. Roberts (Ed.), Doing feminist research (pp. 30-55). London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Odero, D.A. & Morgan, M.Y. (2000). The paradox of Luo women’s groups in urban Kenya. Submitted to Women’s Studies International Forum.

Pearsall, M. (1986). Toward a feminist transvaluation of value theory: Feminist theory and practice. Women and values: Readings in recent feminist philosophy (pp. xi-xv, 1-2). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Peterat, L. (1987). Review of Being feminist: Living with a man by H. C. Bain: Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Phenomenology + Pedagogy, 5(1), 76-79.

Pugh, A. (1990). My statistics and feminism - A true story. In L. Stanley (Ed.), Feminist praxis (pp.103-112). New York: Routledge.

Reinharz, S. (1992). Feminist action research. Feminist methods in social research (pp. 175-196). New York: Oxford University Press.

Roberts C., Kippax, S., Waldby, C. & Crawford J. (1995). Faking it: The story of “Ohh!” Women’s Studies International Forum, 18(5/6), 523-532.

Shields, V.R. & Dervin, B. (1993). Sense-making in feminist social science research: A call to enlarge the methodological options of feminist studies. Women’s Studies International Forum, 16(1), 65-81.

Shostak, M. (1989). "What the wind won't take away": The genesis of Nisa--The life and words of a !Kung woman. In Personal Narratives Group (Eds.), Interpreting women's lives (pp. 228-240). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Small, S. (1995). Action-oriented research: Models and methods. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 941-955.

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Stanley, L. & Wise, S. (1983). 'Back into the personal' or: Our attempt to construct 'feminist research'. In G. Bowles & R. Klein (Eds.), Theories of women's studies II (pp.192-209). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Stanley, L. & Wise, S. (1979). Feminist research, feminist consciousness, and experiences of sexism. Women's Studies International Quarterly, 2, 359-374.

Stinson, S., Blumenfield-Jones, D., & Van Dyke, J. (1990). Voices of young women dance students: An interpretive study of meaning in dance. Dance Research Journal, 22(2), 13-22.

Suransky, V. (1980). Phenomenology: An alternative research paradigm and a force for social change. Journal of British Society for Phenomenology, 11(2), 163-179.

Tesch, R. (1987). Emerging themes: The research experience. Phenomenology + Pedagogy, 6(3), 230-241.

Thompson, L. (1992). Feminist methodology for family studies. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54(1), 3-18.

Thompson, L. & Walker, A. (1995). The place of feminism in family studies. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 847-865.

van Manen, M. (1984). Practicing phenomenological writing. Phenomenology + Pedagogy, 2(1), 36-69.

Weber, S.J. (1986). The nature of interviewing. Phenomenology + Pedagogy, 4(2), 65-72.

Weiler, K. (1988). Feminist methodology. Women teaching for change (pp.57-72). South Hadley, MA: Bergin & Garvey Publishers.

Westkott, M. (1990). Feminist criticism of the social sciences. In J. Nielsen (Ed.), Feminist research methods (58-68). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

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