Impact of feminist theory on research methods

Gender is not a side note in research—it is a dynamic dimension that reshapes questions, methods, and discoveries across disciplines. This booklet, produced by Kilden genderresearch.no and supported by the Research Council of Norway, reframes the gender dimension as a core element of research quality, not just a social justice add-on. By showcasing real case studies from fields where gender is often overlooked—such as energy, transport, environment, food systems, and climate resilience—it demonstrates how integrating sex and gender analysis leads to more relevant, innovative, and inclusive research outcomes. – It defines the gender dimension as a cross-cutting criterion for excellence, linking it to the Horizon Europe agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals – It presents case studies across sectors: Health and Well-being, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Energy, Transport, Environment and Climate, and Safe Societies – It explores practical applications: How gender norms, biological sex, access to resources, and power dynamics shape research findings and policy relevance – It uncovers implicit biases: From androcentric norms in clinical trials to stereotyped assumptions in transport systems and energy use – It provides actionable tools: Conceptual distinctions between sex and gender, checklists for gender-sensitive research design, and methodological recommendations This is not a theoretical advocacy brief—it is a strategic guide for researchers, evaluators, and funders ready to make research more precise, equitable, and impactful. Whether you work in the humanities, life sciences, or applied policy research, this resource equips you to reframe the research process itself—turning gender into a driver of discovery, not an afterthought.

New article ´Building on decolonial feminist scholarship, we show how a commitment to reflexive practice “in the field” has developed further, through a reflection on the self as a researcher and on “the field” as a construct. This ethical and political commitment prompts a rethinking of key concepts in fieldwork (and research more generally), including those of “the researcher,” “the research participant” (or “population”), “expertise,” and what constitutes “data” and “knowledge.” We argue that a preferable approach to critical fieldwork is grounded in feminist and decolonial, anti-racist, anti-capitalist politics. This approach is committed not just to reflecting critically on “the field” and the interactions of the researcher within it but also to challenging the divisions, exclusions, and structures of oppression that sustain the separations between “here” and “there,” “researcher” and “researched,” and “knower" and “known.”´

How can we shape our knowledge production practices for them to be more equitable? And for our knowledge to lead to change? 🚨🔐💻OPEN-ACCESS PUBLICATION ON FEMINISM, KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION AND RESEARCH ETHICS! 📜   CRG Senior Staff Member María Martín de Almagro, PhD has co-authored an article titled "Doing Feminist Research on Conflict, Violence, and Peace: Ethical and Methodological Dilemmas." Co-authored with Julia Zulver, Priscyll Anctil Avoine, Nancy Tapias Torrado, and Marie E. Berry, Ph.D., the article is published in Millennium: Journal of International Studies. Abstract This piece offers a space for critical debate and reflection on the methodological and epistemological foundations that underpin feminist research on conflict, violence and peace. Taking stock of the variety of approaches and theoretical standpoints, we examine the (feminist) politics of knowledge production in academia and its limitations. We discuss how ontological and epistemological assumptions shape what counts as (feminist) academic knowledge and what is considered to be possible in (policy) practice. The article makes three contributions. First, we argue that the production of knowledge within disciplinary boundaries, and in particular, International Relations, is closely related to the discipline’s history of positivism and exclusion. Second, to counter that, we propose a close engagement with Black and decolonial feminist methods of feeling-knowing, storytelling and collaboration. Third, we highlight that embracing uncertainty means accepting incommensurability and heterogeneity, as well as a shift away from the urge to accumulate knowledge towards paying attention to the process of co-constructing it. To access the journal, click 👉🏻  https://lnkd.in/gtYZZFvc #gender #feminism #violence #conflictstudies #knowledgeproduction #ethics Maria’s research is at the intersection of gender studies, international peacebuilding governance, and the role of knowledge production and meaning-making practices in world politics. Theoretically, much of her work investigates concepts and performances of authority, legitimacy, and power through poststructural and postcolonial accounts and feminist and interpretive methodologies. Empirically, as an IR scholar and an Africanist, she studies the micro-dynamics of war-to-peace transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa with the aim of producing original findings that derive from an in-depth study of this region, but that can at the same time inform broader debates in the discipline.

Gender Inclusive Framework and Theory (GIFT) GIFT refers to conceptual models and analytical approaches that explicitly recognise and incorporate gender as a critical factor in understanding social phenomena. These frameworks go beyond binary notions of male/female and aim to understand how gender intersects with other identities (e.g., race, class, age, disability) to shape experiences, access to resources, opportunities, and power relations. Key Components of a Gender Inclusive Framework and Theory: 1. Recognition of Gender as a Social Construct: Gender is understood not as a biological given but as a product of social norms, expectations, and power dynamics. 2. Intersectionality: Rooted in Black feminist theory, this emphasises how gender intersects with other identity markers to create unique experiences of oppression or privilege (e.g., Crenshaw, 1989). 3. Power and Agency: Examines how gendered power relations affect people’s ability to make decisions, access opportunities, and influence outcomes. 4. Structural and Institutional Analysis: Explores how laws, policies, education systems, and cultural norms reinforce or challenge gender inequalities. 5. Transformative Potential: Goes beyond inclusion by aiming to transform systems and structures that produce gendered disparities. 6. Participatory and Inclusive Methodology: Advocates for research and interventions that actively involve marginalised genders in the design, implementation, and evaluation stages. Examples of Gender Inclusive Frameworks: 1. Gender Analysis Frameworks (e.g., Harvard Analytical Framework, Moser Framework, Gender at Work) 2. Intersectional Feminist Theory 3. CARE’s Gender Equality Framework 4. UN Women’s Gender Equality Framework 5. Gender Transformative Approach (GTA) Applications: i). Policy development (e.g., gender-sensitive budgeting) ii). Program design (e.g., inclusive education or health interventions) iii). Research (e.g., analyzing gendered impacts of climate change or technology) iv). Monitoring and Evaluation with gender-disaggregated data and qualitative indicators. UoN Anthropology and Gender Students Association, Institute for Faith and Gender Empowerment (IFAGE), Isiolo Gender Watch (IGW), Institute for Gender and the Economy, Gender, Work & Organization, Gender Equity Policy Institute (GEPI), ADB Gender, CGIAR Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, HBS Race, Gender & Equity Initiative, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung | Global Unit for Feminism and Gender Democracy, Gender and Environment Data Alliance (GEDA), Gender DEI, Gender & Health Hub, Gender Unit | Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, FEMNET - African Women's Development and Communication Network, Women's Empowerment Link, Women Business Hub - Nonprofit Social Enterprise Organization, Women On Boards Network Kenya, Women Educational Researchers of Kenya, UN Women, African Women Rights Advocates, European Network of Migrant Women (ENOMW), WIDE+ (Women in Development Europe+)