Psychology

Feminist theories: Knowledge, method, and practice

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

Feminist theorizing in family science is an intellectual and a political project, where feminist theorists engage the world through critical intersectional perspectives to know it (knowledge), understand it (method), and change it (practice). Feminist family theories offer a fierce and flexible framework that is contentious and political, encompassing a vast enterprise of intellectual scholarly work, collective engagement, and constant agitation for social change. In this chapter, we examine the history of feminist thinking in family science across four eras of academic and activist feminist movements. We define key feminist concepts, including the social construction of gender, intersectionality, patriarchy, privilege, power, praxis, and reflexivity. We consider feminist theorizing in relation to related, though not synonymous, ways of critically theorizing about inequality, power, and the need for social change, including intersectionality theory, queer theory, and global and transnational feminisms. We analyze tensions, controversies, and limitations of feminist theorizing, and offer empirical examples of feminist-informed family research. Finally, we address future directions for feminist theorizing about families.

Publication Title

Sourcebook of Family Theories and Methodologies: A Dynamic Approach

Publication Date

2022

First Page

379

Last Page

400

ISBN

9783030920029,9783030920012

DOI

10.1007/978-3-030-92002-9_27

Keywords

feminism, families, gender roles

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