Feminist epistemology as social epistemology

Conversations with Epistemologies of Feminism: A Systematic Review

“…In different ways the liberal, radical and Marxist feminist theorists argued. Those who argue that there are epistemically valuable feminine ways of knowing integral to women, without providing a social analysis, could also be viewed as resisting certain elements of a social epistemology (Grasswick, 2004;Grasswick, and Webb, 2002).…”

“…Based on the fundamental concerns and beliefs of radical feminists, as revealed by the large and diverse body of theoretical, methodological and pedagogical literature that has been generated in the last three decades, it is now common to hear feminists and other gender scholars describe radical feminists as a group of feminists that focus on the patriarchy as the social system which functions in hierarchical and dominating ways, such that individual women are subordinate to individual men. For this reason, and epistemic injustice (see Grasswick, 2004;Grasswick, and Webb, 2002), radical feminists often react in anger by 'whipping up' their argument for support against women's oppression. Their anger is usually directed at men, who they see as embodying the patriarchal power relations of the entire societal system (Jagger, 1985).…”

Feminist Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

“…Many identify feminist epistemology as a form of social epistemology, where the latter is broadly characterized as encompassing the epistemological study of the ways in which social relations and institutions shape knowledge practices and achievements. Though Heidi Grasswick thinks that 'by far the majority of work in feminist epistemology is best understood as a form of social epistemology,' she also notes that feminist epistemology predates social epistemology as the latter is now understood (Grasswick 2008). Thus, instead of thinking of feminist epistemology as simply a subarea or form of social epistemology, we might think of it as a significant inspiration and resource in the development of social epistemology, something that cannot be ignored by (mainstream) social epistemologists.…”

“…See , Nelson (1993), and . For a recent discussion of feminist epistemology as social epistemology, see Grasswick (2008). has something to offer.…”

“…In most general terms, feminist epistemology is a form of social epistemology Grasswick 2008) in that it examines the relations between gender and knowledge, where gender is understood not as an attribute of individuals but rather as an axis of social relations. It is because society is structured significantly along the axis of gender that feminists take gender to be relevant to epistemology.…”