Qualitative Data Analysis: An Introduction Carol Grbich Chapter 5 : Feminist Research

Feminist research principles 1. that there is inequality in our society constructed along gender lines - women are subordinate to men in socioeconomic status and decision making power. 2. that current modes of knowledge disadvantage women by devaluing their ways of knowing 3. that highlighting the experiences of women through research and allowing their voices to be heard may go some way to making inequalities more widely recognised 4. that transformation of society through the empowerment and emancipation of women are desirable outcomes.

The researcher and the researched Relationship guidelines: non-exploitative relationships between you and those you are researching exposure of your position, your personal biography, your emotions and values and how these impact on data gathering, analytical and interpretative phases the voices of the researched should be heard in their own words and ownership of narratives should be shared between you and these people in an egalitarian manner

Empowerment of participants Ways of managing empowerment: Recognise the value driven nature of research Practice reflexivity Participants drive the research agenda Focus on improvement of participant’s lives as the major outcome Include a diversity of participants including ‘elites’ Use language which is meaningful to participants Contextualise data so readers can make their own judgments Present ways in which women may improve their situation. (Adapted from Wadsworth 2001:4-5)

Feminist data analysis Use feminist theoretical frames Focus on an extensive display of participants’ voices Joint ownership of data interpretation

Memory Work The researcher is also a participant Involves the tracing of memories and their construction from each co-researcher’s perspective The group takes the collective memories and seeks to understand how each memory as come to be constructed in this particular way and how interaction within the wider society has created and reinforced oppression. Theoretical constructs are applied to the memories by the researcher

Criticisms of memory work Using friends/close acquaintances to form the group is not ideal Women with no background nor interest in academic theory may become subjects and/or experience minimal emancipation or transformation The group may tend to indulge in primitive psychotherapeutics Marxist frameworks emphasise action as conformity rather than resistance

Limitations of Memory work Emancipation is not always the outcome Theoretical perspectives are not always meaningful to participants How are differences of opinion to be managed in the group process? Is it possible to share ownership with a researcher who will ultimately gain through publishing the work? In terms of analysis and final publication, what happens to the personal material from the first and second stages? Whose voices are being silenced when issues of academic credibility are important? What happens to notions of emancipation and transformation when the groups are more interested in sharing than theorising their experiences (Onyx and Small 2001)