Who's the expert? On knowledge as praxis - a methodological approach

Summary, in English

To establish a knowledge seeking that sheds light upon manifoldness without simplifying plurality or further exposing implicit power hegemonies, feminist scholars need to distinguish between forms of rationalist knowledge and knowledge as praxis. This article calls attention to the fact that scholars need to address how issues of habits, norms, customs and ideas are related to the production of knowledge. Through analyses of an epistemological ranking-list and a methodological check list, the article investigate ways of managing plurality and power in contemporary feminist scholarly work and argue that the ambition to avoid power asymmetries in feminist scholarship is a problematic point of departure. By drawing on the works of Sara Ahmed and Chantal Mouffe, The article propose a methodology based on the idea of knowledge as praxis, treating knowledge production as action, occupied with investigating the relations we have to the world, intrinsically interwoven with culture, politics and power.

• Author: Mia Liinason
• Department/s: Department of Gender Studies
• Publishing year: 2007
• Language: English
• Publication/Series: Graduate Journal of Social Science
• Volume: Vol. 4
• Issue: No. 2
• Full text: - 152 kB; Download statistics
• Links: http://www.gjss.nl
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
• Topic: Gender Studies
• Keywords: methodology; praxis; intersectionality; plurality; power; Sara Ahmed; feminist knowledge production; Chantal Mouffe
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1572-3763