Feminist standpoint theory and science communication

Abstract

This commentary introduces feminist standpoint theory and discusses its potential value in science communication. It offers two ways in which feminist standpoints can help in both research and practice. First, science communicators should aim to understand the perspective from which they understand and share scientific knowledge. Second, practitioners and researchers alike should seek insights from marginalized groups to help inform the ways the dominant view of science reflects hegemonic social and cultural norms.

Leading Canada's Sustainable Energy Transition: Does Gender Matter?

“…Since women leaders are a minority and are external to the dominant energy system (the regime), they are more willing to question prevailing practices and facilitate a transition to sustainability. This idea that women as external actors have unique and important contributions is similar to arguments put forward by Marshall (2011), Halpern (2019, and Lieu and colleagues (2020) (see section 4.1).…”

“…In this way, through promoting women's leadership in Canadian energy sector firms, sustainability and a sustainable energy transition can be facilitated. The theoretical foundations of this model stem from not only the MLP, but also from research suggesting that since women are external to the dominant energy system, they may be more willing to challenge the status quo and facilitate transition (Halpern, 2019;Lieu et al, 2020;Marshall, 2011). The adapted MLP framework represented in Figure 6 therefore provides a novel representation of how Canada's sustainable energy transition can be facilitated.…”

Queer world-making: a need for integrated intersectionality in science communication

“…In addition, there is a gap when it comes to engaging with queer theory to examine the presence of heteronormativity within science communication itself. However, we are encouraged by parallel discussions, which include calls to apply feminist theory to science communication to encourage communicators to learn from marginalised publics and consider how communications practices do or do not account for diversity, equity, and power relations [Halpern, 2019;Riesch, Potter and Davies, 2017;Roberson, 2020b]. Elsewhere, there are attempts to better respond to communities and, indeed, involve them within research as it is conducted [Genus and Stirling, 2018;Pain, 2017].…”

On social change, agency, and public interest: what can science communication learn from public relations?

“…These intersections of perspective and privilege require communicators to learn from marginalised publics and consider how communication practices do or do not account for diversity, inequity, and public interest. While science communication presents some initial options for breaking away from restrictive, defined roles and preventing the privileging of information flow [Horst and Michael, 2011], both fields could yet benefit from the use of a critical feminist, also known as relational ethics, lens [Halpern, 2019;Medvecky and Leach, 2019].…”