STANDPOINT THEORYSTANDPOINT THEORY

The Science Question in The Science Question in Feminism Feminism

by Sandra Hardingby Sandra Harding

Ani GerbinAni GerbinFELU PhD ProgrammeFELU PhD Programme

Ljubljana, 01.06.2010Ljubljana, 01.06.2010

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

born in 1935

professor at UCLAprofessor at UCLA and guest lecturer at over 200 universities and conferences

1996-1999 director of the 1996-1999 director of the UCLA Center for the Study of UCLA Center for the Study of WomenWomen

2000-2005 co-editor of 2000-2005 co-editor of Signs: Signs: A Journal of Women in Culture A Journal of Women in Culture and Societyand Society

research interests: feminist research interests: feminist and postcolonial theory, and postcolonial theory, epistemology, research epistemology, research methodology and philosophy of methodology and philosophy of sciencescience

groundbreaking works:The Science Question in Feminism (1986) and Whose Science? Whose Knowledge? (1991)

The context of the theory The context of the theory

Science is a progressive force enjoying a Science is a progressive force enjoying a special authority derived from its political special authority derived from its political

neutrality.neutrality.

vs.vs.

Science is political.Science is political.

BackgroundBackground

science has helped to keep women science has helped to keep women “behind” as thinkers and knowers“behind” as thinkers and knowers

feminist philosophical ideas about feminist philosophical ideas about science science

≠ ≠ basic feminist political ideasbasic feminist political ideas

BackgroundBackground

feminist philosophical ideas about feminist philosophical ideas about sciencescience::

1) 1) Feminist analysis Feminist analysis ofof the history of ideas the history of ideas and scienceand science

2) 2) Feminist analysis of scientific fields Feminist analysis of scientific fields 3) 3) Feminist epistemologyFeminist epistemology as an alternative as an alternative

to the dominant epistemologies to the dominant epistemologies

Three approaches to the science Three approaches to the science question in feminismquestion in feminism

1) Feminist empiricism1) Feminist empiricism

2) Radical feminist epistemology:2) Radical feminist epistemology:

2a) the feminist standpoint approach2a) the feminist standpoint approach

2b) the postmodern approach2b) the postmodern approach

reject the traditional epistemological project of validating reject the traditional epistemological project of validating epistemic norms from a transcendent viewpointepistemic norms from a transcendent viewpoint

1. Feminist empiricism1. Feminist empiricism

the problem is lying only in “bad science”, the problem is lying only in “bad science”, not in not in ““science-as-usualscience-as-usual””

1a) 1a) ““spontaneousspontaneous“ feminist criticism of science“ feminist criticism of science

1b) 1b) ““philosophicalphilosophical”” feminist empiricismfeminist empiricism

PROBLEM: PROBLEM: empiricism insists only on testing the empiricism insists only on testing the hypotheses and interpretation of evidence and not on hypotheses and interpretation of evidence and not on the context of discoverythe context of discovery, , where problems are defined where problems are defined and identifiedand identified

2. Radical feminist epistemology2. Radical feminist epistemology

epistemologies, metaphysics, ethics and politics epistemologies, metaphysics, ethics and politics of the dominant forms of science are androcentricof the dominant forms of science are androcentric

Western beliefWestern belief: : science is progressivescience is progressive Feminist critics’Feminist critics’ belief: belief: ““sacredsacred” ” science serves science serves

regressive social tendencies regressive social tendencies

2a. Th2a. The feminist standpoint e feminist standpoint approachapproach

originorigin:: Hegel Hegel ( (relationship between the master relationship between the master and the slaveand the slave), ), Marx, EngelsMarx, Engels

importance of the role of the importance of the role of the situatednesssituatedness of the of the knower: physical nature, location, status in the knower: physical nature, location, status in the worldworld

some facts some facts are are visible only from a special point of visible only from a special point of view – of those view – of those oppressed or marginalized oppressed or marginalized by by societysociety

privileges the perspective of women in privileges the perspective of women in revealing revealing masculine biasmasculine bias in science in science

2a. Th2a. The feminist standpoint e feminist standpoint approachapproach

the perspective of women the perspective of women asas a a standpointstandpoint – a – a morally and scientifically preferable grounding for morally and scientifically preferable grounding for our interpretations and explanations of nature our interpretations and explanations of nature and social lifeand social life

opposed to opposed to empiricistsempiricists: social identity of the : social identity of the observer can be an important variable in the observer can be an important variable in the potential objectivity of research resultspotential objectivity of research results

2a. Th2a. The feminist standpoint e feminist standpoint approachapproach

Emerging questions:Emerging questions:

Do Do men and women men and women in modern Western societies have in modern Western societies have different perspectives different perspectives of a kind that is relevant in of a kind that is relevant in sciencescience??

DDoes the experience and oes the experience and viewpoint of women viewpoint of women differ differ from that of men in a way that matters to scientific from that of men in a way that matters to scientific disputes?disputes?

IIs there a s there a specifically feminine way specifically feminine way of conceptualizing of conceptualizing abstract relationships in biology, anthropology and abstract relationships in biology, anthropology and psychology?psychology?

- example: Barbara - example: Barbara McClintock – McClintock – geneticsgenetics

2a. Th2a. The feminist standpoint e feminist standpoint approachapproach

CriticCritic: : if the experiences if the experiences of the oppressed of the oppressed do do have special values, have special values, other other facts will be more facts will be more visible to the privilegedvisible to the privileged

it is better to it is better to thinkthink of the of the ““poolpool“ of various ideas “ of various ideas of those with different points of viewof those with different points of view

both standpoint and empiricism argue that both standpoint and empiricism argue that objectivityobjectivity cannot be increased by cannot be increased by value value neutralityneutrality

3. 3. TThe postmodern he postmodern approachapproach

questioning thequestioning the basic scientific assumptions basic scientific assumptions about objectivity and truth  about objectivity and truth 

rrelativismelativism

members of different genders, ethnic groups, members of different genders, ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes see the world socioeconomic classes see the world fundamentally differentlyfundamentally differently

there is no single true description of the worldthere is no single true description of the world

skepticism regarding universal claims about skepticism regarding universal claims about existence, nature and powers of reason, progress, existence, nature and powers of reason, progress, science, language and the subject/selfscience, language and the subject/self

Three aspects of gender Three aspects of gender identified by feminist critics of identified by feminist critics of

sciencescience

gendered aspects of our personalitiesgendered aspects of our personalities division of labor by genderdivision of labor by gender gendered symbol systemgendered symbol system

influenceinfluence the problematics, concepts, theories, methods and the problematics, concepts, theories, methods and goals of sciencegoals of science

gender as a theoretical categorygender as a theoretical category – analytic tool through – analytic tool through which the division of social experience along genders gives which the division of social experience along genders gives men and women different conceptions of men and women different conceptions of themselvesthemselves and and the the world around themworld around them

GGendered aspects of our endered aspects of our personalitiespersonalities

Focus of sFocus of studies:tudies: ddiscriminatiscrimination of womenion of women within the social within the social

structure of structure of sciencescience barriers created for women entering and barriers created for women entering and

remaining in scienceremaining in science low representation of women in science courses, low representation of women in science courses,

laboratories, scientific societies and scientific laboratories, scientific societies and scientific publicationspublications

science must be viewed as a fully science must be viewed as a fully social activitysocial activity – – social and culturally specific as are religious, social and culturally specific as are religious, educational, economic and family activitieseducational, economic and family activities

DDivision of labor by genderivision of labor by gender

unfairunfair educational, employment and status- educational, employment and status-assigning practices still lead to gender assigning practices still lead to gender segregationsegregation

WWhy do fewer women than men choose to pursue hy do fewer women than men choose to pursue science educations and careersscience educations and careers??

effects of effects of gender stereotyping gender stereotyping throughout lifethroughout life changes in the division of labor by classchanges in the division of labor by class

throughout historythroughout history WWhy does the division of labor still preserve hy does the division of labor still preserve

racial, gender and class statusracial, gender and class status??

Gender structure of the employees of the Gender structure of the employees of the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine,

Rijeka, CroatiaRijeka, Croatia

32

48

62

50

74

88

6

18

10

12

9

17

54

62

7

22

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Technicians

Lab technicians and engineers

Administrative personnel

PhD students

Assistants and higher assistants

Associate and assistant professors

Other full professors

Chairs

Female

Male

Image of a scientist?Image of a scientist?

Image of a scientist?Image of a scientist?

Image of a scientist?Image of a scientist?

Gendered symbol systemGendered symbol system

cultures assign a gender to non-human cultures assign a gender to non-human entities: hurricanes, mountains, ships, nationsentities: hurricanes, mountains, ships, nations

rape and torture rape and torture - - metaphors in the writings of metaphors in the writings of Sir FSir F.. Bacon and Bacon and N. N. MachiavelliMachiavelli

earth-centered universe earth-centered universe vs.vs. a sun-centered a sun-centered universeuniverse

traditional historianstraditional historians:: metaphors metaphors areare irrelevant irrelevant to the real meanings of scientific concepts to the real meanings of scientific concepts

Metaphors in Western Metaphors in Western philosophy: dichotomiesphilosophy: dichotomies

Maleness Femaleness

reasonableness; culture nature

objectivity subjectivity

the scientist as knowing subject

the objects of his inquiry

reason emotions; intuition

active passive

mind body; matter

Androcentrism in social sciences and Androcentrism in social sciences and biologybiology

biological determinantsbiological determinants of human behavior of human behavior vs. vs. social constructionssocial constructions of gender of gender

FeministsFeminists: i: individuals are constituted as ndividuals are constituted as gendered by identifiable social processes, and gendered by identifiable social processes, and not by biologynot by biology

a fundamental transformation of a fundamental transformation of concepts, concepts, methods and interpretationsmethods and interpretations in in biology and biology and social sciences is neededsocial sciences is needed

Important conclusionsImportant conclusions

““IIn all cultures everything manly is more highly n all cultures everything manly is more highly valued than what is thought of as womanly and thusvalued than what is thought of as womanly and thus,, science is also genderedscience is also gendered””

feminist criticisms severely challenge social science’s feminist criticisms severely challenge social science’s self-perceived attempts to be self-perceived attempts to be value-neutralvalue-neutral and and objectiveobjective

ffeministeminist critics of science critics of science have questioned our have questioned our cultural identity as a cultural identity as a democratic and socially democratic and socially progressive societyprogressive society

ffeminist science studies haeminist science studies haveve brought an awareness brought an awareness of the of the costs of excluding women costs of excluding women and other and other marginalized groupsmarginalized groups from full participation in science from full participation in science

Impact of the theory on own Impact of the theory on own scientific workscientific work

Is there at all Is there at all thinking in a “feminine” waythinking in a “feminine” way, which , which wouldwould reliably lead to truth reliably lead to truth? ?

How to consider one epistemological standpoint How to consider one epistemological standpoint as universally valid?as universally valid?

Can there be a feminist epistemological Can there be a feminist epistemological standpoint?standpoint?

Impact of the theory on own Impact of the theory on own scientific workscientific work

DDoes the selection and definition of problems oes the selection and definition of problems always bear the fingerprints of the dominant always bear the fingerprints of the dominant groups in the culture?groups in the culture?

Can there be a value-neutral design and Can there be a value-neutral design and interpretation of research?interpretation of research?

If the research is value-laden, can it nevertheless If the research is value-laden, can it nevertheless be maximally objective?be maximally objective?

IIs it possible to imagine a social world in which s it possible to imagine a social world in which people people dodo not notice gender difference not notice gender difference??