Gender and suppressed Knowledge

What is feminist epistemology?

Feminist epistemologists recognise that dominant knowledge practices have disadvantaged women and other subordinated/marginalised groups by excluding them from enquiry, denying them epistemological authority and producing theories that represent them as inferior.

It has been suggested that the central concept of feminist epistemology is that of situated knower/knowledge. The basic ideas are that knowledge reflects the particular perspectives of the subject and that gender affects knowing subjects.

How do gender/class/ethnicity affect knowledge?

- socialisation into masculinity/femininity/class culture/ethnicity - first person vs. third person knowledge -attitudes/interests, effects on knowledge, e.g. reactions to a lock from thief/owner -background beliefs and world views, e.g. theism, Marxism, post-colonialism -relations to other enquirers - gendered cognitive styles e.g. deductive, logical, quantitative = masculine intuitive, emotional, qualitative = feminine

Discussion

How can epistemological inequality be over come? Practically what methods could be undertaken to this end? What, if any, are the connections between capitalism and other exploitative power structures (such as patriarchy and colonialism) and epistemological authority?

Reading:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-epistemology

www.iep.utm.edu/f/fem-epis.htm