Summary

Feminist approaches to research emerged during a period of activism and critical questioning in the 1960s and 1970s. They hold that the creation of knowledge is an inherently political and power-laden enterprise and challenge traditional inquiry approaches that proceed from the assumption that a neutral and objective stance is possible. To feminist and other critical researchers, cultural practices and systems of power always influence research practices. Feminist research is explicitly political and emancipatory in aim.

Feminist approaches have blossomed into a rich and diverse body of practices for investigating phenomena in a range of contexts. These methodologies continue to evolve as new issues emerge and scholars engage in productive debates about practices and approaches. No tool or technique is explicitly feminist; a general set of guiding principles shapes feminist methodologies, which vary widely in practice based on the specific purpose of the study and the researcher's theoretical allegiances. What remain consistent across these efforts are a spirit of critique and the conviction that research should challenge oppressive forces and contribute to tangible changes in people's lives.