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Feminist Research Practice
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Feminist Research Practice
A Primer

Second Edition
Edited by:


July 2013 | 456 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The fully revised and updated edition of Feminist Research Practice: A Primer draws on the expertise of a stellar group of interdisciplinary scholars who cover cutting-edge research methods and explore research questions related to the complex and diverse issues that deeply impact women’s lives. This text offers a unique hands-on approach to research by featuring engaging and relevant exercises as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses of feminist researchers at work. The in-depth examples cover the range of research questions that feminists engage with, including issues of gender inequality, violence against women, body image issues, and the discrimination of other marginalized groups. Written in a clear, concise manner that invites students to explore and practice a wide range of research, the Second Edition offers seven new chapters that reflect the latest scholarship in the field, a stronger focus on ethics, new examples that bring concepts to life, effective learning tools, and more.
Sharlene Hesse-Biber
Chapter 1. A Re-Invitation to Feminist Research
Nancy A. Naples and Barbara Gurr
Chapter 2. Feminist Empiricism and Standpoint Theory: Approaches to Understanding the Social World
Nollaig Frost and Frauke Elichaoff
Chapter 3. Feminist Postmodernism, Poststructuralism and Critical Theory
Linda Bell
Chapter 4. Ethics and Feminist Research
Elana D. Buch and Karen M. Staller
Chapter 5. What Is Feminist Ethnography?
M. Brinton Lykes and Alison Crosby
Chapter 6. Feminist Practice of Action and Community Research
Sharlene Hesse-Biber
Chapter 7. Feminist Approaches to In-Depth Interviewing
Jennie Munday
Chapter 8. The Practice of Feminist Focus Groups
Heather McIntosh and Lisa M. Cuklanz
Chapter 9. Feminist Media Research
Kathi Miner and Toby Jayaratne
Chapter 10. Feminist Survey Research
Donna M. Mertens and Nichole Stewart
Chapter 11. The Feminist Practice of Program Evaluation
Sharlene Hesse-Biber
Chapter 12. Feminist Approaches to Mixed Methods Research
Sharlene Hesse-Biber
Chapter 13. Conclusion: Putting Together Your Research Project

Supplements

Instructor Teaching Site
The companion website contains chapter-specific PowerPoint slide presentations which offer assistance with lecture and review preparation by highlighting essential content and features from the book.

“The fully revised and updated Second Edition… draws on the expertise of a wide group of interdisciplinary scholars who aim to cover cutting-edge research methods and explore research questions related to the complex and diverse issues that deeply impact women’s lives…it will be valuable for academics already working from or looking to develop their understanding and use of feminist research practices…this collection offers an engaging look at feminist research practice. It is particularly strengthened by examples of feminist research in practice throughout, and the addition of exercises and resources to initiate further discussion and reflection.” (To Read the entire review click here.)

Emma Smith, PhD Candidate
University of Stirling

“This strength of this text rests in the coverage given to multiple methodological approaches. Students who read all the articles will come away with a strong foundation to help them apply a feminist lens and framework to their own research and writing.”

Rachel Sutz Pienta, Valdosta State University 

Rachel Sutz Pienta
Valdosta State University

“The Behind-the-Scenes parts really capture students’ attention and help students see theory and method in practice...”

M. Cristina Alcalde, University of Kentucky   

M. Cristina Alcalde
University of Kentucky

“The key strength of this text for me is the organization of the book and the Behind-the-Scenes textboxes within the chapters.”            

Arlene Sgoutas, Metropolitan State College of Denver 

Arlene Sgoutas
Metropolitan State College of Denver

“It is well organized—introduction, application and synopsis. I like the way different authors cover different methods so you are truly getting people who know and use the methods.”

Jo Reger, Oakland University

Jo Reger
Oakland University

“This is the most inclusive and accessible primer on feminist research methods out there. In addition, the book is adaptable to many different points of focus that instructors might have; that is, it would work well with supplemental readings or other texts that have a more specific focus.”

—M. Joan McDermott, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

M. Joan McDermott
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

“This is one of the most well organized books that I teach. I especially appreciate how each chapter in Section 2 focuses on a different feminist research method and provides examples of how scholars have used this method in their own research. I find that students have a much easier time grasping methodological concepts when they can read about the theory behind a particular method and examples all in the same chapter. I also use chapters 1, 3 and 4 to frame the debates and stakes within the field of feminist research methods.” 

Lena McQuade, Sonoma State University

Lena McQuade
Sonoma State University

“Its organization is coherent and logical.  The text provides a good introduction to the feminist scholarship and includes theoretical and empirical articles, which provides a well-rounded discussion of the research disciplinary practices for students.”

Ann Marie Nicolosi, The College of New Jersey

Ann Marie Nicolosi
Ann Marie Nicolosi

“Key strengths are coverage of interviewing, feminist ethnography, and the practice of program evaluation. Particularly clear and useful for students is the chapter on in-depth interviewing.”    

—Julia L. Offen, Cornell University

Julia L. Offen
Cornell University

“I think the book does a great job of showing how feminist thought influences how researchers do research on a practical level—and I think this is something that other qual text books do not always do so well. It’s easier to explain a critical perspective, but how that perspective actually influences the researcher in the field can be harder to show. I really liked how possible research questions were used in the post-modern chapters to illustrate how, in practice, these theoretical perspectives actually shape how social scientists go about their research. Also, the chapter on media analysis did a great job of linking theory to practical discussions of the research process. And the chapter on focus groups does a great job of differentiating market research use of focus groups which is important because most students would probably only have exposure to focus groups in that context…The concluding chapter also did a great job of summarizing the steps of the research process, helpful hints, and the feminist perspective of the book.”
 
—Karrie Ann Snyder, Northwestern University

Karrie Ann Snyder
Northwestern University
Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

  • Two new theoretical chapters (2 and 3) provide the latest insights into a wide range of foundation issues with which feminist researchers grapple, such as: How do we know what we know? What theoretical lenses provide a window into subjected knowledge of women and other oppressed groups? What does it mean to take the standpoint of the most oppressed?
  • A new chapter on Ethics and Feminist Research (Chapter 4) covers a range of issues that are often not discussed in standard methods textbooks, including power and authority issues in social research and ethical conundrums researchers face across any given research project.
  • A new chapter on the Feminist Practice of Action and Community Research (Chapter 6) provides a set of analytical tools and methods that demonstrate how to promote social change for women and other oppressed groups.
  • A new chapter on Feminist Media Research (Chapter 9) provides a set of analytical lenses and tools that help readers engage with issues that deal with the growing influence of social media.
  • A new chapter on The Feminist Practice of Program Evaluation (Chapter 11) uses a feminist lens to explore ways to conduct an evaluation with the goals of social transformation and social change in mind.
  • A new concluding chapter, Conclusion: Putting Together Your Research Project (Chapter 13) provides a hands-on, step-by-step guide for conducting feminist research along with an in-depth example to help solidify the concepts, ideas, and methods discussed.
  • New in-depth examples in every chapter bring concepts to life and enhance understanding.
  • An expanded discussion of the impact of new online technologies, such as online surveys, ethnographies, and interviews, outlines their use and explores their advantages and disadvantages.
  • A discussion of ethics in each methods chapter has been incorporated into the discussions of the “how-to” of analysis, interpretation, and writing up results.
  • New discussion questions in each chapter provide readers with an opportunity to put together what they have learned and apply this learning to other research projects.
  • New online resources sections at the end of each chapter allow readers to follow up on specific methods and practices in other research contexts.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Behind-the-Scenes with Feminist Scholars boxes offer a window into the feminist researcher’s vantage point.
  • Contributions by well-known feminist researchers cover a range of epistemological and methodological concerns, and include the personal experiences that researchers have had in employing some of the methodological options reviewed in the text.  
  • The book’s holistic view of feminist research focuses on epistemology, theory, and methods.
  • A unique text/reader format combines the best of authored and edited volumes, with references, bulleted questions, and key points throughout.


What's New in the Second Edition?

The second edition of The Practice of Feminist Research brings a stellar group of new and returning scholars with newly revised chapters from the first edition as well as completely new chapters that cover some cutting edge research methods. All chapters highlight the latest scholarship by a range of interdisciplinary scholars who bring together feminist issues and methods in the service of answering a range of complex issues that deeply impact the diversity of women's lives.

New Chapters to the 2nd Edition

We have added a number of new and timely chapters to the 2nd edition that provide additional sets of analytical insights and research tools in the service of getting at complex and global issues. We have added two new feminist theoretical chapters by leading scholars in feminist theory. Chapter 2, Feminist Empiricism and Standpoint Theory and Chapter 3, Feminist Postmodernism, Poststructuralism and Critical Theory provide cutting edge insights into the range of foundation issues feminist research grapple with, namely: How do we know what we know? Who gets to know? What theoretical lenses provide a window into subjected knowledges of women and other oppressed groups? What does it mean to take the standpoint of the most oppressed? This edition also includes a new chapter on Ethics and Feminist Research (Chapter 4) that covers a range of issues that are often not discussed in standard methods textbooks. This chapter explores the range of power and authority issues in social research and extends the discussion of ethics beyond "informed consent" issues to address the range of conundrums researchers face across any given research project. Another new chapter, The Feminist Practice of Action and Community Research (Chapter 6 ), provides a set of analytical tools and methods that demonstrate how to specifically promote social change for women and other oppressed groups. This chapter provides strategies for including research respondents more directly into the research process as well. Another new chapter Feminist Media Research (Chapter 9), provides a set of analytical lenses and tools to engage with issues that deal with the growing influence of social media—twitter, facebook, etc. A new chapter on The Feminist Practice of Program Evaluation (Chapter 11), provides a feminist lens onto how to conduct an evaluation with the goals of social transformation and social change. The concluding new chapter, Putting it all Together: Doing Your Feminist Research Project, (Chapter 13), provides the researcher with a "hands on" step by step guide for conducting feminist research together with an in-depth example to follow that helps to solidify the concepts, ideas and methods practices discussed throughout this book.

Each book chapter provides students with in-depth examples as guides to learning a specific method with the inclusion of more graphics throughout the chapters. We also provide a set of insightful discussion questions that are meant to be moments of reflection whereby students have an opportunity to put together what they have learned throughout the chapter and apply this learning to other research contexts. Each chapter also includes online resources for students to follow-up on a specific method and its practice in other research contexts.

All new and returning chapters to this second edition have been revised to include the latest scholarship and feminist perspectives into a given research method. In addition, we have expanded a discussion of the impact of new technologies, such as online technologies which include online surveys, ethnographies and interviews and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of employing these technologies with given methods practices. In addition, we have included a discussion of ethics throughout each of the methods chapters. Each methods chapter contains a discussion of the basic "how-to" of analysis, interpretation, and writing up of a given methods practice.

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