Open AccessThe application of Feminist Standpoint Theory in social research
Author(s) -
María Silvestre Cabrera,
María López Belloso,
Raquel Royo Prieto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
investigaciones feministas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2171-6080
DOI - 10.5209/infe.66034
Subject(s) - sociology , situated , epistemology , perspective (graphical) , feminist epistemology , object (grammar) , subject (documents) , power (physics) , set (abstract data type) , feminist theory , feminist philosophy , class (philosophy) , feminism , empirical research , social science , gender studies , computer science , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , library science , programming language
This article assumes a priori that feminist epistemology must necessarily imply the definition and application of a methodology that is capable of analysing knowledge from a situated perspective, making visible the restrictions of gender, class, ethnicity, and in summary, of the social location. Feminist Standpoint Theory (FST) set out by authors such as Sandra Harding, calls on those who have not had access to power and areas of decision-making to participate in the construction of knowledge and in the social construction of reality. In this article, we will claim for a need of a sociological investigation based on FST and provide some examples and evidence of the knowledge generated by women's voices building on the analysis of 10 doctoral theses. The methodology used is based on the analysis of the topics chosen by the thesis, the formulation of its objectives and the bibliography used. Likewise, we have developed a so-called “Harding test” grounded on her postulates, which has allowed us to assess the doctoral theses analysed and to reflect about the empirical contributions of the research, the feminist commitment and what the subject / object relationship should be in feminist epistemology.