See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.
net/publication/370906065
Research made simple: an introduction to feminist research
Article in Evidence-Based Nursing · May 2023
DOI: 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103749
CITATIONS READS
6 80
1 author:
Gillian Wilson
University of Hull
15 PUBLICATIONS 275 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
All content following this page was uploaded by Gillian Wilson on 22 November 2023.
The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
Research made simple
Evid Based Nurs: first published as 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103749 on 19 May 2023. Downloaded from http://ebn.bmj.com/ on November 22, 2023 by guest. Protected by copyright.
Research made simple: an introduction to feminist research
Gillian Wilson
10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103749 Writing an article for ‘Research Made Simple’ on feminist importance in feminist research is the location of the
research may at first appear slightly oxymoronic, given researcher throughout the whole research endeavour.
that there is no agreed definition of feminist research,
School of Nursing and Midwifery,
let alone a single definition of feminism. The literature Reflexivity
University of Hull, Hull, UK
that examines the historical and philosophical roots The practice of reflexivity is considered a hallmark of
of feminism(s) and feminist research is vast, extends feminist research. It invites the researcher to engage in a
Correspondence to: over several decades and reaches across an expanse of ‘disciplined self-reflection’ Wilkinson9 p93. This includes
Gillian Wilson, University of Hull, varying disciplines. Trying to navigate the literature can consideration of the extent to which their research fulfils
Hull, Kingston upon Hull, UK; be daunting and may, at first, appear impenetrable to feminist principles. Reflexivity can be divided into three
gillian.w
ilson@hull.a
c.uk those new to feminist research. discrete forms: personal, functional and disciplinary.9
There is no ‘How To’ in feminist research. Although Personal reflexivity invites the researcher to contem-
feminists tend to share the same common goals, their plate their role in the research and construction of
interests, values and perspectives can be quite disparate. knowledge by examining the ways in which their own
Depending on the philosophical position they hold, femi- values, beliefs, interests, emotions, biography and social
nist researchers will draw on differing epistemologies location, have influenced the research process and the
(ways of knowing), ask different questions, be guided by outcomes (personal reflexivity).10 By stating their posi-
different methodologies and employ different methods. tion rather than concealing it, feminist researchers use
Within the confines of space, this article will briefly reflexivity to add context to their claims. Functional
outline some of the principles of feminist research. It reflexivity pays attention to the influence that the
will then turn to discuss three established epistemolo- chosen research tools and processes may have had on
gies that can guide feminist research (although there are the research. Disciplinary reflexivity is about analysing
many others): feminist empiricism, feminist standpoint the influence of approaching a topic from a specific
and feminist postmodernism. disciplinary field.
Feminist empiricism
What makes feminist research feminist? Feminist empiricism is underpinned by foundationalist
Feminist research is grounded in a commitment to principles that believes in a single true social reality
equality and social justice, and is cognisant of the with truth existing entirely independent of the knower
gendered, historical and political processes involved in (researcher).8 Building on the premise that feminist
the production of knowledge.1 It also strives to explore researchers pay attention to how methods are used, femi-
and illuminate the diversity of the experiences of women nist empiricist researchers set out to use androcentric
and other marginalised groups, thereby creating oppor- positivist scientific methods ‘more appropriately’.8 They
tunities that increase awareness of how social hierarchies argue that feminist principles can legitimately be applied
impact on and influence oppression.2 Commenting on to empirical inquiry if the masculine bias inherent in
the differentiation between feminist and non-feminist scientific research is removed. This is achieved through
research, Skeggs asserts that ‘feminist research begins application of rigorous, objective, value-free scientific
from the premise that the nature of reality in western methods. Methods used include experimental, quasi-
society is unequal and hierarchical’ Skeggs3 p77; there- experimental and survey. Feminist empiricists employ
fore, feminist research may also be viewed as having traditional positivist methodology while being cognisant
both academic and political concerns. of the sex and gender biases. What makes the research
Feminist scholars assert that there are multiple endeavour feminist is the attentiveness in identifying
and diverse routes to producing scientific knowledge, potential sources of gendered bias.11
just as there are multiple ideas about truth.4 However,
there is no specific feminist epistemology, methodology Feminist standpoint
or method.5 6 What makes the research feminist is the In a similar way to feminist empiricism, standpoint femi-
way that feminist principles are integrated throughout nism—also known as ‘women’s experience epistemology’
the entire process—from development of the question, Letherby8 p44—holds firm the position that traditional
the data collection and analysis, the writing up and science is androcentric and is therefore bad science. This
the dissemination. The approaches in feminist research is predicated on the belief that traditional science only
that unify feminist perspectives are an insistence of produces masculine forms of knowledge thus excluding
approaches that are collaborative, non-hierarchical and women’s perspectives and experiences. Feminist stand-
reflexive.7 Although most commonly associated with point epistemology takes issue with the masculinised
qualitative methods, feminist researchers make use of definition of women’s experience and argue it holds
qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Leth- little relevance for women. Feminist standpoint epis-
erby argues that it is not the methods used in feminist temology therefore operates on the assumption that
research but how those methods are used in pursuit of knowledge emanates from social position and fore-
feminist goals that makes it feminist.8 Of significant grounds the voices of women and their experiences
Evid Based Nurs July 2023 | volume 26 | number 3 | 87
Research made simple
Evid Based Nurs: first published as 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103749 on 19 May 2023. Downloaded from http://ebn.bmj.com/ on November 22, 2023 by guest. Protected by copyright.
of oppression to generate knowledge about their lives guided to a useful and accessible text on feminist theo-
that would otherwise have remained hidden.12 Feminist ries and concepts in healthcare written by Kay Aranda.1
standpoint epistemology maintains that women, as the
oppressed or disadvantaged, may have an epistemolog- Funding The authors have not declared a specific
ical advantage over the dominant groups by virtue of grant for this research from any funding agency in the
their ability to understand their own experience and public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
struggles against oppression, while also by being attuned
Competing interests None declared.
to the experience and culture of their oppressors.11 This
gives women’s experience a valid basis for knowledge Provenance and peer review Not commissioned;
production that both reflects women’s oppression and internally peer reviewed.
resistance.13 © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial
Feminist standpoint epistemology works on the re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
premise that there is no single reality,11 thus disrupting
the empiricist notion that research must be objective
and value-free.12 To shed light on the experiences of References
the oppressed, feminist standpoint researchers use both 2 Aranda K. Feminist theories and concepts in Healthcare.
quantitative and qualitative approaches to see the world London, 2018.
through the eyes of their research participants and 3 Brown G, Western D, Pascal J. Using the F-word. Affilia
understand how their positions shape their experiences 2013;28:440–50.
3 Skeggs B. Situating the production of feminist Ethnography. In:
within the social world. In addition, the researchers are
Maynard M, Purvis J, eds. Researching women’s lives from a
expected to engage in strong reflexivity and reflect on,
feminist perspective. London: Taylor & Francis, 1994: 72–92.
and acknowledge in their writing, how their own attri- 4 Beckman LJ. Training in feminist research methodology: Doing
butes and social location may impact on interpretation research on the margins. Women Ther 2014;37:164–77.
of their data.14 5 Bryant C, Peck D. Feminist Methodologies and epistemology.
In: Bryant CD, Peck DL, eds. 21St century sociology: A
Feminist postmodernism reference Handbook. 2006.
Feminist postmodernism is a branch of feminism that 6 Giacomini M. Theory matters in qualitative health research. In:
embraces feminist and postmodernist thought. Femi- Bourgeault I, Dingwell R, De Vires R, eds. The Sage handbook
nist postmodernists reject the notion of an objective of qualitative methods in health research London: SAGE,
n.d.: 2010. 124–56.
truth and a single reality. They maintain that truths are
7 Margaret Fonow M, Cook JA. Feminist methodology:
relative, multiple, and dependent on social contexts.15
New applications in the Academy and public policy. Signs
The theory is marked by the rejection of the feminist 2005;30:2211–36.
ideology that seeks a single explanation for oppression 8 Letherby G. The SAGE handbook of innovation in social
of women. Feminist postmodernists argue that women research methods. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2011.
experience oppression because of social and political 9 Wilkinson S. The role of Reflexivity in feminist psychology.
marginalisation rather than their biological difference Women's Stud 1988;11:493–502.
to men, concluding that gender is a social construct.16 10 Dowling M. Approaches to Reflexivity in qualitative research.
Feminist postmodernists eschew phallogocen- Nurse Res 2006;13:7–21.
tric masculine thought (expressed through words and 11 Campbell R, Wasco SM. Feminist Approches to social science:
Epistemological and methodological tenets. Am J Community
language) that leads to by binary opposition. They are
Psychol 2000;28:773–91.
particularly concerned with the man/woman dyad, but
12 Wigginton B, Lafrance MN. Learning critical feminist
also other binary oppositions of race, gender and class.17
research: A brief introduction to feminist Epistemologies and
Feminist postmodernist scholars believe that knowledge Methodologies. Fem Psychol 2019;0:095935351986605.
is constructed by language and that language gives 13 Olesen V, ed. Feminist qualitative research in the millennium’s
meaning to everything—it does not portray reality, rather first decade. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2011.
it constructs it.11 A key feature of feminist postmod- 14 Naples NA, Gurr B. Feminist empiricism and standpoint theory.
ernist research is the attempt to deconstruct the binary 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications, 2013.
opposition through reflecting on existing assumptions, 15 Hesse-Biber S. Handbook of feminist research: Theory and
questioning how ways of thinking have been socially Praxis. In: Hesse-Biber SN, ed. Truth and truths in feminist
knowledge production. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks
constructed and challenging the taken-for-granted.17
California 91320 United States : SAGE Publications, Inc, 2012.
16 Anderson E. Feminist epistemology and philosophy of science.
Conclusion In: (Ed.) Zalta EN, Ed. spring 2020 edition Ed: Stanford
This article has provided a brief overview of feminist encyclopedia of philosophy. 2000. Available: https://plato.
research. It should be considered more of a taster that stanford.edu/archives/spr2020/entries/feminism-epistemology/
introduces readers to the complex but fascinating world [Accessed 18 Apr 2023].
of feminist research. Readers who have developed an 17 Tong R. Feminist thought: A more comprehensive introduction.
appetite for a more comprehensive examination are 5th ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2018.
88 Evid Based Nurs July 2023 | volume 26 | number 3 |
View publication stats
