Feminist Research in the Public Domain

Abstract

This article offers a feminist perspective on public sociology that suggests that the potential risks of going public with feminist sociological research are more pervasive and serious than proponents of public sociologies have previously acknowledged. At the same time, the promise of public sociologies for furthering feminist goals has been largely untapped. Here, the authors recount their own experience with widely publicized research that, while neither unique nor typical, serves to highlight potential risks of making feminist sociological research public. Feminist scholars must be made aware of these risks as feminist research, which challenges existing gender inequalities and arrangements, is especially likely to encounter negative public reaction. The authors recommend collective and conscientious attention to both the medium and the message. The perspective on public sociologies presented here can help further the goals of public sociology and holds special promise for feminist sociologists who seek effective ways to promote social change.

The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella

“…An analysis of Walt Disney's Cinderella, in preparation for data collection, produced several themes. These assertions are supported by Shumway's (2003) assertions concerning traditional feminine text and in Grauerholz and Baker-Sperry's (2007) findings on pervasive themes within popular Grimms' tales. These themes guided, but did not limit, the discussion and influenced the questions asked of students during the reading groups.…”

Doing It in Public: Dilemmas of Images, Voice, and Constructing Publics in Public Sociology on Sex Work

“…Becker () admonished sociologists to make transparent “the limits of what we have studied” (p. 247) by acknowledging “whose side we are on.” The use of public sociology and public recruitment methods can make the political leanings and limitations of research very clear, opening up space for critique. Like Grauerholz and Baker‐Sperry () (following Becker ), we have noticed a troubling phenomenon whereby research which supports status‐quo and “common sense” beliefs about society is not criticized as ideological or biased, regardless of the methodological rigour of the study (or lack thereof). Conversely, research which challenges the dominant paradigm is often framed as “advocacy research” and may be dismissed as ideologically driven (Becker ; Grauerholz and Baker‐Sperry ), even if the data collection and analysis conform to the standards of “professional sociology.”…”

European Professors as Public Intellectuals

“…Academics are also deterred from public discourse by fragmented and flawed reporting of research (see Björklund 1996;Grauerholz and Baker-Sperry 2007). Indeed, writing in one of the two major Swedish newspapers, Lars Calmfors, an economics professor at Stockholm University, has argued just this development (Calmfors 2007a, b).…”