Qualitative lecture 4 Flashcards
What are standpoint methodologies?
- They are theoretical positions that critique power relations in research
- They are meant to challenge entrenched practices within research (relations of power and dominance)
- They are not methodologies, but perspectives/positions researchers embrace (e.g. writing as a feminist scholar)
- They offer guidelines to alternative practice- a critical stance.
- Standpoints embrace methodologies that give voice to the concerns of marginalised communities (e.g. PAR, photovoice, critical ethnography)
- They are aimed at producing social change (therefore they are a form of activism)
- Standpoint research is committed to working in the interest of oppressed and disadvantaged groups.
What do standpoint methodologies challenge?
-They challenge the view of research as neutral or value-free.
- They challenge entrenched practices within research (relations of power and dominance)
- They challenge mainstream approaches and their lack of overt political commitment to justice (inequality)
How do standpoint methodologies veiw research?
- Research is political and serves particular interests
- Research perpetuates dominant frameworks of thinking (e.g. positivism)
What are the three central premises that place standpoint methodologies apart from other approaches?
- They seek to uncover hidden or disguised relationships, ideas, and concepts
- They are directed towards change in an emancipatory or liberatory direction
- They are generally focused on neglected, disempowered, silenced communities.
What are two examples of standpoint methodologies?
- Feminist research
- Black/African scholarship
What is feminist research?
- Feminist theorists are concerned with a lack of research directed towards women’s experiences.
- It seeks to put women’s issues on the agenda
- Feminist researchers are invested in tackling discrimination and oppression of women. E.g. the feminization of household labour; questions about paternity leave and gender imbalances in childcare.
- Feminist researchers are committed to eradicating power imbalances between researcher and subjects.
- Feminist research refuses to create artificial distinctions between the private and public or the personal and political
What are some examples of women’s issues that feminist research seeks to put on the agenda?
- E.g. advancing women’s careers in male dominated fields
- Challenges the neglect of women in research
- Challenges the neglect of issues concerning women
- Challenges the centering of men’s voices as the “norm”
E.g. gender pay gap, overlooking women.
What are two examples of feminist research refusing to create artificial distinctions?
- The feminization of childcare and women’s exclusion from the labour market
- Women’s struggles with reproductive issues (endometriosis.
What factors influence the methods and practices used in feminist research?
- The research question is determined by feminist concerns
- Subject vs informants or participants
- Participatory Action Orientation
- Depth of engagement
- Reflexivity
- Sex-related terminology
- Accessibility of findings
What is meant by “subject vs informants or participants” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
- There is a focus on reducing hierarchical difference in the researcher-to-subject relationship
- Subjects are seen as co-researchers and co-creators of and are referred to as participants rather than “subjects”
- Research is planned collaboratively with organizations or potential beneficiaries.
What is meant by “participatory action orientation” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
- Feminist research takes of a participatory approach
- Researchers transfer skills to participants (e.g. photovoice)
- Approaches are empowering (e.g. training community researchers)
What is meant by “depth of engagement” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
- Feminist research often uses interview or focus groups to gain an in-depth understanding
- Goes beyond surface level to uncover deep-seated issues
What is meant by “reflexivity” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
- Feminist researchers are self-conscious of their role and identification or disidentification with participants
What is meant by “sex-related terminology” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
- Feminist researchers are careful about the use of sexist language
- E.g. “prostitution” vs “sex work”. Or pronouns
What is meant by “accessibility of findings” in terms of feminist research methods and practices?
Feminist researchers are interested in disseminating their findings in popular as well as academic forums (language and platform)
What is the Black/African scholarship standpoint methodology?
- Refers to a range of agendas including anti-racism, black consciousness, africanism, african cosmology
- It challenges the underrepresentation of black life and ways of being.
- It challenges pathologizing and essentializing narratives about Africa (e.g. inferiority)
- It represents a move away from eurocentric perspectives of African communities.
- It is a protest against colonialism and racism.
What are the four phases of creating a liberatory science?
- Disillusionment- experiences of disappointment and frustration
- Reactive engagement- contestation of the colonization of black experience
- Constructive self-definition: the creation of alternative narratives about black life
- Development of an emancipatory discourse- the preservation and valuing of cultural forms and African traditions.
What methods and practice are used in African/ Black scholarhsip?
- African humanity vs objectification: appreciation of african traditions rather than objects of suspicion/deviation. Unapologetic about African humanism and opposition to ‘scientific objectivity’ and determinism
Represents community enhancing or even altruistic behaviours - Individualism vs commonality- research as the pursuit of personal promotion (e.g. publish or perish vs greater good. Or e.g. questions that promote the greater good)- Responsibility of researchers to share the knowledge they accumulate with the communities that they subject to scrutiny
- Alienation vs relevance and familiarity. (using concepts that are familiar and relevant) Need to employ concepts that are familiar and relevant, arguably making the subject matter of research more accessible and engaging
- Addressing topics of social relevance (e.g. race and racism). Invested in socially relevant research
