Feminist Research Methodology This book focuses on feminist research methodology, exploring and analysing its constituting methods, theory, ontology, epistemology and ethics and politics, and research issues relating to women, gender and feminism in Sri Lanka The book examines ways of meaning-making for the political, ideological and ethical purposes of promoting individual and social change, and constructs an example of feminist research praxis Using this South Asian country as a case study, the author looks at the means by which researchers in this field inhabit, engage with and represent the multiple realities of women and society in Sri Lanka In analysing what constitutes feminist research methodology in a transitional country, the book links local research practices with Western feminist approaches, taking into account the commonalities, distinctions and specificities of working in a South Asian context With an emphasis on general issues and debates in global feminist theory and methodology, the book explores the issues of reflexivity, standpoint, gender, women’s agency, empiricism, and feminist politics of Marxism and democracy, positivism, induction, deduction, postmodernism and postcolonialism Engaging with and re-conceptualising three traditionally different types of research – women’s studies, gender studies and feminist studies – from a methodological perspective, Feminist Research Methodology provides a framework for researching feminist issues Applicable at both a local and global level, this original methodological framework will be of value to researchers working in any context Maithree Wickramasinghe is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Her research has explored feminist critical theory and methodology, gender in organizations and workplaces, as well as women and gender in development Routledge Research on Gender in Asia Series Women, Identity and India’s Call Centre Industry JK Tina Basi Feminist Research Methodology Making meanings of meaning-making Maithree Wickramasinghe Feminist Research Methodology Making meanings of meaning-making Maithree Wickramasinghe First published 2010 by Routledge Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2009 To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk © 2010 Maithree Wickramasinghe All rights reserved No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Feminist research methodology : making meanings of meaning-making / Maithree Wickramasinghe p cm – (Routledge research on gender in Asia series; v 2) Includes bibliographical references and index Women’s studies – Research – Sri Lanka Women’s studies – Sri Lanka – Methodology I Title HQ1181.S72W53 2010 305.4095493 – dc22 2009016943 ISBN 0-203-86732-7 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 978-0-415-49416-8 (hbk) ISBN 978-0-203-86732-7 (ebk) For Ranil who, despite his wisecracks, has unswervingly sustained me For Amma, who was the original source of motivation For Thatha, who is no longer there to see For Englanamma, Papa, Maya and Rashmee, who laid the foundations For YPunchiamma, for providing the support services Contents List of illustration Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction: Making meanings An introduction to the genesis of the book An introduction to the book’s structure and chapters An introduction to the definitions and parameters of making meaning xi xii xiii Part I Methodology matters 11 13 The local context: Archaeology of women’s research activism Archaeology 13 A glance at women-related issues before 1975 14 The emergence of WR writing and research 17 The liberal / democratic agenda 17 Marxist feminism 19 Women’s movements and researchers 20 Feminist research activism 23 Feminist research activism – more issues of connaissances? Feminist research activism – more issues of savoir? 27 24 A paradigm: Women – a paradigm in global knowledge production Women as a paradigm in global knowledge production Feminist subjectivities 34 Feminist ontologies 36 Feminist epistemologies 39 Feminist research methods 43 Feminist theories 45 Feminist politics / ethics 47 32 31 viii Feminist research methodology Part II Aspects of feminist research methodology 51 55 Subjectivity: Reflecting on the self as / in making meaning Subjectivity and reflexivity 56 Positioning / constructing myself in researching 58 Discipline and work roles 58 Family 58 Ethnicity and religion 59 Class 59 Politics 60 Language 60 Constructing / positioning my frameworks of thought 61 Ontological and epistemological bearings 61 The research context 64 Theoretical and methodological aspects 64 Political and ethical concerns 66 Positioning / constructing my approaches and methods 67 Texts 67 Talk 68 Analysis and theorisation 69 Reflecting on reflexivity as an expression of subjectivity 71 An ontology: Research realities in meaning-making 73 Ontology and epistemology 73 The attacks and responses 75 Ontological research politics 76 Feminist internationalisms 78 Feminist structural reformative intents (gender mainstreaming) 81 Feminist localisms 84 Feminist personal / political interests 87 An epistemology: making meanings of being / doing gender The concept of gender 93 Justification for an epistemology of gender 95 Gender as an aspect of being / doing (ontology) 96 An epistemology of gender 99 Gender theoretical concepts 99 Gender analysis 102 Gender political aspirations 105 Gender methodologies 107 Gender ontology as epistemology is gender epistemology as ontology 108 93 Contents A method: Literature reviewing as making meaning ix 110 The method of literature reviewing 111 Constructing a historical trajectory? 113 Classifying types of approaches 114 The empiricist bent 114 Action research 116 Theoretical arguments 118 Mixed-methods research 122 Other methodological issues 123 The significance of history 123 The cultural factor 125 Theory: Making and unmaking meaning in theory 128 The pros and cons of applying theorisation 128 Beginning theory 130 The location / situatedness / standpoints and intersections of knowledge 132 A women’s standpoint 134 The perspective of a mother 135 Disciplinary and ideological affiliations 137 Intersections of class 139 Counter-communal stands 141 South Asian or Asian positionings 143 Making and unmaking theory 145 Ethics / politics: Feminist ethics / politics in meaning-making Women’s lesser morality versus higher social expectations Feminisms as ethics and politics 148 The ethical problematic of a politics of good 150 Ethics / politics of altruism 151 Ethics / politics of liberal democracy 153 Ethics / politics of Marxism 155 Feminist ethics as political strategy and action 158 Strategic pragmatism 159 Feminist politics / ethics as methods 161 Responsibilities and accountability 161 Sensitivity to respondents 163 Epistemic community 164 147 147 Bibliography 199 Mauthner, M (2000) ‘Snippets and silences: ethics and reflexivity in narratives of sistering’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, (4), 287–306 Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J and Miller, T (eds) (2002) Ethics in Qualitative Research, London: Sage Mauthner, N and Doucet, A (1998) ‘Reflections on a voice-centered relational method – analysing maternal and domestic voices’, in J Ribbens and R Edwards (eds) Feminist Dilemmas in Qualitative Research – Public Knowledge and Private Lives, London: Sage Maynard, M (1993) ‘Feminism and the possibilities of a postmodern research practice’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 14 (3), 327–331 ——(1995) ‘Beyond the “Big Three”: the development of feminist theory in the 1990s’, Women’s History Review, (3), 259–281 ——(2004) ‘Methods, practice and epistemology: The debate about feminism and research’, in C Seale (ed.) 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Gender in Caribbean Development, Jamaica: Women and Development Studies Group Zackeriya, F and Shanmugaratnam, N (2001) Stepping Out: Women Surviving amidst Displacement and Deprivation, Colombo: Muslim Women’s Action and Research Front Zinsser, J P (1990) ‘The United Nations Decade for Women: a quiet revolution’, The History Teacher, 24 (1), 19–29 Index Abeysekara, Manel, 17, 97 Abeysekara, Sunila, 19, 20, 24 accountability, 161–62 action research, 48, 116–18 Adkins, L., 56 Afghanistan, 144 Africa, 37, 42, 46 see also South Africa; Yorubaland; Zimbabwe Agarwal, B., 46 Ahmed, S., 149 Alcoff, L., 41 Alldred, P., 150–51 Al Qaeda, 125 Althusser, L., 32, 56, 125 altruism, 151–53 Andermahr, S., 45, 168 archaeology, 4, 13–30 Aruni (respondent), 25 Asia, 37, 147; Asian positionings, 143–45; Asian viewpoint, 18; see also East Asia; South Asia; South East Asia Auerbach, N., 38 Australia, 38 Balasuriya, Tissa, 19, 20 Ball, S., 80 Banadaranaike, Sirimavo, 17–18 Bandarage, A., 85, 90, 121–22, 126, 129 Bangladesh, 143, 144 Batliwala, S., 46–47 Bebel, August, 19 Bhaba, H.K., 59 Bhutan, 144 Birch, M., 48, 149 Blyton, Enid, Boserup, E., 18, 44 Bosnia, 38 Bourdieu, P., 56 British, 16 see also UK Buddhism/Buddhists, 16, 18, 27, 59, 71, 101, 125, 143, 147, 152, 153, 154 Butler, J., 35, 62, 96, 101 Cain, M., 69, 131 Canada, 38 Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), 23 Castro, Fidel, 19 Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), 19, 20 Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR), 79, 123, 160 Ceylon Labour Union, 16 Chhachhi, A., 141 Christianity, 15–16, 124, 143, 147, 152 CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), 23 Cixous, H., 35 class: author’s positioning, 59–60; intersections of, 139–41 Code of Ethics on Gender Representation for the Electronic Media, 107 Collins, P.H., 60 Colombo, 85, 108, 109; University of, 18–19, 79 Communist Party (CP), 16, 17 confidentiality, 66–67 connaissances, 13, 14, 15, 17, 24–27, 30, 32–33, 73, 76, 93, 108, 110, 128, 130 Cook, Judith, 113 Coomaraswamy, R., 106–7 Corbin, J., 129 Costa, Della, 19 counter-communal stands, 141–43 CP (Communist Party), 16, 17 Index CSR (Centre for Society and Religion), 19, 20 cultural approach, 125–26 Dassanayake, Mala, 20 data analysis, 5, 44–45, 69–70 de Alwis, 65, 75, 86, 88, 96, 119–20, 137–38 de Beauvoir, S 18, 93 Deepa (respondent), 152 de Groot, J., 45, 70 Delphy, Christine, 33, 44 de Man, P., 67 de Mel, N., 15, 99–100, 102, 104, 105, 110, 126 democracy see liberal democracy democratic agenda see liberal/ democratic agenda Derrida, J., 63, 67, 110 de Saussure, F., 139 de Silva, Bernadeen, 18, 20 Dhamani (repondent), 29, 79, 80, 129, 132, 138, 144, 161, 163, 164, 165 disciplinary and ideological affiliations, 137–39; author’s positioning, 58, 60 District Integrated Rural Development Schemes, 85 Domestic Violence Bill (2005), 160 Doucet, A., 149, 161 Dunne, M., 8, 51 East Asia, 46 see also Asia Economic Review, 18 Edwards, R., 150, 157 Eksath Kantha Peramuna (EKP; United Women’s Front), 16 Emmanuel, S., 90 empiricist approach, 114–15 empowerment, 46–47 English language, 7, 15, 20, 22–23, 60– 61, 67 epistemic community, 21–22, 32, 164–65 epistemology: author’s positioning, 62– 64; feminist, 39–43, 79, 86, 88–92; gender as, 5, 52, 93–109, 168; in methodological matrix summary, 173–74; and ontology, 73–74, 90–92, 95–99, 108–9, 132, 168; and women as paradigm, 31, 33, 39–43, 48 equality, 17–18, 46, 106 essentialism, 42–43 ethics see politics/ethics Europe, 37, 95; Eastern, 38 Enlightenment, 40, 65, 95 209 Far East, 38 Farida (respondent), 21, 150 feminist internationalisms, 76, 78–81, 91 feminist localisms, 77, 84–87, 91 feminist personal political interests, 77, 87–90, 91 feminist structural reformative intents, 77, 81–83, 91 Finch, J., 69, 131 Fonow, Mary Margaret, 113 Foucault, M., 4, 13–14, 32, 41, 62, 95, 110, 133 Free Trade Zones (FTZs), 84, 155 Friedan, B., 18 FTZs (Free Trade Zones), 84, 155 GAD (Gender and Development) movement, 17–18, 38, 81, 121 Gauri (respondent), 100 Gayathri (respondent), 134–35, 153, 159, 160–61, 165 gender: analysis, 102–5; concept of, 25, 47, 93–95, 120; cultural factors, 125; as epistemology, 5, 52, 93–109; and historical analysis, 124; methodologies, 107–8; ontology, 81– 83, 95–99, 108–9; political aspirations, 105–7; social construction of, 113–14; and subjectivity, 35; theoretical concepts, 99–102; and understanding of development, 38 Gender and Development (GAD) movement, 17–18, 38, 81, 121 gender mainstreaming, 81–83 107–8, 168 Gender Project: ‘Gender in Commonwealth Higher Education’, 64 Gillies, V., 150–51 Gilligan, C., 35, 48, 148 Gilman, C.P., 38 global knowledge production, women as paradigm in, 31–49 Goonatilake, Hema, 15, 18, 29, 113, 115, 116–17, 118, 122, 123–24 Goonewardene, Vivienne, 17 Greer, G., 18 Grillo, T., 146 Gross, E., 46 Guide for a Code on Sexual Harassment, 107 Guidelines on Company Policy for Gender Equity/Equality, 107 Gynocriticism, 41 210 Index Haavind, H., 143 Haniffa, F., 142 Haraway, D., 115, 133 Harding, S., 8, 58, 73, 98–99, 115, 133 Hart, C., 111 Hinduism, 135, 143, 147, 152 history: historical trajectory, 113–14; significance of, 123–24; see also archaeology Holland, J., 32, 56 identity, 100–101, 141–42 ideological and disciplinary affiliations, 137–39 IMF (International Monetary Fund), 20 India, 15, 19, 38, 40, 46, 65, 125, 135, 142, 143, 144, 159 Institute of Education, University of London, 64 internationalisms, feminist, 76, 78–81, 91 International Monetary Fund (IMF), 20 intersectionality, 6, 134, 146; intersections of class, 139–41 interviews, 68–69, 163 intuition, Iraq, 162 Ireland, 38 Irigaray, L., 34 Islam, 143, 147, 152 see also Muslims Israel, 38 Kantha Vimukthiya (Women’s Liberation), 19–20 Kashmir, 144 Kelly-Gadol, J., 124 Khanduja, S., 48 Kiribamune, S., 154 Kiyana (respondent), 25, 134, 151–52, 159 Knox, Robert, 15 Kolontai, Alexandra, 19 Kottegoda, S., 120 Krishnaraj, M., 13, 47 Kuhn, Thomas, 32, 33 Kumerini (respondent), 138–39, 142, 163 Kvale, 157 Jaffna, 101 Jalani (respondent), 82 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), 85, 163 Jarviluoma, H., 93 Jayani (respondent), 87, 139, 155–56 Jayatilaka, W., 106, 120, 123 Jayawardena, K., 16, 18, 20, 65, 101 Jayaweera, Swarna, 17, 18, 103, 104, 123 John, M.E., 40, 135, 159 Joint Gender Committee, 86 JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), 85, 163 Labour Movement, 20 Labour Party, 16 Lamphere, L., 18 Lanka Sama Samaja Pakshaya (LSSP), 16, 17 Lather, P., 32 Law, J., 74 Lenin, Vladimir, 19 lesbians, 24, 36 Letherby, G., 8, 110–11 liberal democracy, ethics/politics of, 153–55 liberal/democratic agenda, 17 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 85, 86, 143, 149, 155, 163 Lisewood, 154 literature reviewing, 6, 44, 52, 67, 110– 27 local context, 13–30, 64 localisms, feminist, 77, 84–87, 91 location of knowledge, 132–33 Logos, 20 London University: Institute of Education, 64 LSSP (Lanka Sama Samaja Pakshaya), 16, 17 LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), 85, 86, 143, 149, 155, 163 Lyons, T., 41 Kamani (respondent), 29, 143, 144–45 Kandiyoti, D., 46 Kant, Immanuel, 95 Kantha Handa (Voice of Women), 20 Kanthava Samajaya Vimukthiya (Women, Society, Liberation), 19 Maguire, M., 80, 146 Mahaweli Development Scheme, 84, 85 Maldives, 144 Mao Tse-tung, 19 Marga Institute, 19 Index Marx, Karl, 32 Marxism, 19–20, 32, 40, 47, 65, 66, 75, 87, 88, 113, 117, 118, 123, 138, 139, 140, 147, 166; ethics/politics of, 155–56 Mason, J., 79, 94–95, 111 Maunaguru, S., 125 Mauthner, M., 150, 157, 161 Mauthner, N., 149, 161 Maynard, M., 45, 70, 94, 159 methods: author’s positioning, 67–72; feminist, 43–45, 161–66; literature review, 6, 44, 52, 67, 110–27; in methodology matrix summary, 174– 75; politics/ethics, 161–66 Mexico: first UN Conference on Women (1975), 17 Middle East, 38, 46, 84 Mies, Maria, 19, 57, 116 Millet, K., 18 Ministry of Plan Implementation, 18 Ministry of Women’s Affairs, 18 mixed-methods research, 122–23 Mockler, N., 162 modernism, 1, 6, 34, 62, 63, 109, 126, 146, 167, 169 Mohanty, C.T., 65 Moneragala, 164 moral inferiority, 147, 148 moral superiority, 147–48, 150 Morley, L., 56–57, 69, 113 Moser, C., 25 mother, perspective of, 135–37 Mother’s Front, 85, 86, 119, 129, 138 Muslims, 20, 47, 68, 125, 141, 142, 159 see also Islam Muttetuwegama, Manori, 18 Muzundar, 19 Naples, N.A., 62 Narayan, U., 40, 65, 116 National Committee, 17 Nepal, 144 New Zealand, 38, 40 nuancing, 6, 129, 130 Oakley, A., 44, 71, 93 Oluwelwe, S., 42 ontological politics, 76–92 ontology: author’s positioning, 61–62, 64; and epistemology, 73–74, 90–92, 95–99, 108–9, 132, 168; feminist, 36– 39; gender, 95–99, 107, 108–9, 168; in methodological matrix summary, 211 171–72; research realities, 5, 52, 64, 73–92; and women as paradigm, 33, 34, 35, 36–39 Oyewumi, O., 34, 129 Pakistan, 38, 141, 143, 144 paradigm, women as, 4, 31–49 patriarchy, 46, 99–100, 124 Penal Code Amendment (1995), 24, 125–26 politics/ethics, 6, 47–48, 52, 66–67, 105– 7, 147–66, 177–78; see also ontological politics Positivism, 40 postmodernism, 1, 6, 34, 39, 62, 63, 65, 78, 109, 133, 138, 145, 146, 167, 169 pragmatism, strategic, 159–61 Prevention of Terrorism Act, 155 Purvis, J., 159 Queer theory, 36, 101 Rajapakse, D.A., 103 Ramazanoglu, C., 32, 56 Ranweera, Eva, 18 Rasika (respondent), 98, 101, 107, 137 reflexivity, 4–5, 44, 48, 55, 56–58, 71–72 Reinzharz, S., 116 respondents, sensitivity to, 163–64 responsibilities, researcher’s, 161–62 Ribbens, J., 44 Ricardo, 32 Rich, A., 133 Rosaldo, M., 18 Rowbotham, Sheila, 18, 19 Ruddick, Sara, 38–39, 136, 148 Sadia (respondent), 22, 23–24, 89, 162, 165 Said, E.W., 129–30, 144 Sakunthala (respondent), 27 Samarakkody, M., 15 Samuel, K., 19–20, 86 Sangari, K., 46 Sanmugam, T., 103, 123 SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme), 20, 84 Saumi (respondent), 135–36 savoir, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 24, 26, 27–30, 32, 33, 73, 95, 108, 110, 128, 130 Schrijvers, J., 103, 117, 118, 120–21, 128–29 Scott, J.W., 96 sensitivity to respondents, 163–64 212 Index sexuality, 24, 36, 89–90, 125–26 Shaheed, F., 47, 141–42 Shiva, Vandana, 39 Sinhala/Sinhalese, 7, 16, 19, 20, 23, 59, 60, 61, 67, 68, 101, 104–5, 122, 125, 141 situatedness of knowledge, 6, 133 Skeggs, B., 130, 133 SLFP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party), 17 SLWNGOF (Sr Lanka Women’s NonGovernmental Organisations Forum), 79 Smith, D., 41, 118 Smith, L.T., 40 South Africa, 38 South America, 37, 38 South Asia, 38, 46, 104; positionings, 143–45; see also Asia South East Asia, 46 see also Asia Spivak, G.C., 42–43 Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), 17 Sri Lanka Women’s Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (SLWNGOF), 79 Stacey, J., 69, 164 Stake, R.E., 67 standpoints, 6, 41–42, 78, 133–45, 146 Stanley, L., 32, 42, 78, 94, 114, 121, 129, 164 Status of Women Survey, 18–19, 122–23 strategic pragmatism, 159–61 Strauss, A., 129 Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), 20, 84 structural reformative intents, feminist, 77, 81–83, 91 subjectivity, 4–5, 33, 34–36, 41, 51–52, 55–72, 145, 168, 170–71 Surya Mal Movement, 16 Tambiah, Y., 24, 125–26 Tamil, 7, 16, 20, 23, 60, 61, 67, 68, 101, 122, 125, 141, 143 textual analysis, 67 Thailand, 15 Thamalini (respondent), 140–41, 152, 156, 159 Thapar, R., 142 theory, 6, 27, 45–47, 52, 64–66, 70–71, 86–87, 99–102, 110–11, 118–22, 128– 46, 168, 176–77 Thiruchandran, S., 88, 101 transgender, 101–2 travelling theory, 129–30 Trotsky, Leon, 19 UK, 37, 125 see also British UN see United Nations UNCEDAW (United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women), 17, 18, 79, 80 United National Party (UNP), 20 United Nations (UN), 17, 18, 19, 30, 37, 46, 79, 80–81, 139, 154; Conference on Women (Mexico 1975), 17; Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (UNCEDAW), 17, 18, 79, 80; Decade of Women (1975–85), 1, 19; Declaration on Human Rights (1948), 17; International Year of Women (UNIYW; 1975), 1, 15, 17, 18, 20, 62, 113 United Women’s Front (Eksath Kantha Peramuna; EKP), 16 UNIYW (United Nations International Year of Women, 1975), 1, 15, 17, 18, 20, 62, 113 UNP (United National Party), 20 USA, 37, 38, 125, 162 Vimaladharma, K.P., 124 Vivian (respondent), 75, 87, 131, 132–33, 139–40, 150, 158, 162 Wadhani (respondent), 102 Wanasundera, L., 22–23, 84, 113–14, 115, 116, 118–19 Waring, M., 44 Wasanthi (respondent), 26, 135 Wee, V., 47 Weedon, C., 36 WERC (Women’s Education and Research Centre), 160 Western ideas/the West, 7, 18, 37, 38, 41, 42, 46, 47, 56, 65, 73, 75–76, 89, 158, 159 Whitbeck, C., 74 Wickramasinghe, M., 106, 123, 124 WID (Women in Development), 38, 46, 121, 134 Wijayatilake, K., 88, 100, 105–6, 136 Wijewardene, S., 24, 97, 101–2 Wilkinson, S., 44 Wise, S., 32, 42, 78, 94, 114, 121, 129, 164 Wishva (respondent), 82, 136, 160, 163 Index Wittig, M., 36, 94 Women and Media Collective (WMC), 160 Women for Peace, 85 Women in Development (WID), 38, 46, 121, 134 Women’s Bureau of Sri Lanka, 18 Women’s Education and Research Centre (WERC), 160 213 Women’s Franchise Union of Ceylon, 16 women’s standpoint, 134–35 World Bank, 20, 28, 89 Yorubaland, 34 Zackeriya, F., 105–6 Zimbabwe, 41 Zulfica (respondent), 25–26, 135 ... production Feminist subjectivities 34 Feminist ontologies 36 Feminist epistemologies 39 Feminist research methods 43 Feminist theories 45 Feminist politics / ethics 47 32 31 viii Feminist research methodology. .. epistemology 6 Feminist research methodology In Chapter I will look at another aspect of feminist research methodology – research methods I will identify literature review as a research method,... different types of research – women’s studies, gender studies and feminist studies – from a methodological perspective, Feminist Research Methodology provides a framework for researching feminist issues