Course Catalog

Study Program SoSe 2019

Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung, M.A.

General Studies (für alle Semester)

Course numberTitle of eventLecturer
08-zsp-GS-1018Introduction to feminist methods and methodology (in English)
Einführung in die feministische Erkenntnistheorie und Methoden

Seminar (Teaching)
ECTS: 3

Dates:
weekly (starts in week: 1) Mon. 14:00 - 16:00 GW2 B1216 (2 Teaching hours per week)

A recurring question from my students concerns the distinctiveness of feminist approaches to methods, methodologies, and epistemologies. This key question is posed in different ways: Is there a specifically feminist method? Are there feminist methodologies and epistemologies, or simply feminist approaches to these? Answers to these questions are far from straightforward given the continually evolving nature of feminist reflections on the methodological and epistemological dimensions and dilemmas of research. This course attempts to address these questions by tracing recent developments in this area.
The seminar demonstrates the many ways in which feminist researchers continue to challenge, develop, reflect and strive for robust practices and warrantable knowledges. This is configured through; inter alia, notions of voice, positionality, representation, intersectional understandings, strong objectivity and feminist empiricism. A large part of the course will be devoted to methods and their application in praxis. Students should have basic knowledge of research methods (at least done the course introduction to research methods). The course language is English, however, depending upon composition and request of students.

Literature
Harding S. (1987): Is There a Feminist Method? In: Harding S. (eds) Feminism and Methodology: Social Science Issues, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1–14
Ramazanoglu C, Holland J. (2002): Feminist Methodology : Challenges and Choices. London: SAGE Publications Ltd
Rayaprol A. (2016): Feminist research: Redefining methodology in the social sciences. Contributions to Indian Sociology, 50(3), 368–388

Andrea Schäfer, Mag.