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Epistemology of the Subject: Queer Theory’s Challenge to Feminist Sociology
- WSQ: Women's Studies Quarterly
- The Feminist Press
- Volume 44, Numbers 3 & 4, Fall/Winter 2016
- pp. 224-243
- 10.1353/wsq.2016.0044
- Article
- Additional Information
Abstract:
This article considers the issue of the subject in feminism and queer theory and the complications of these theoretical perspectives in application to sociological research. While feminism has historically focused on the subject category of “woman,” queer theory has concentrated on radically unfixing normative subject positions. This paper acknowledges these histories while also recognizing the diversification of approaches that has occurred in feminist and queer thought more recently, particularly in interaction with one another. Considering the benefits of challenging the discrete subject, as well as the value of founded subject positions, this paper suggests ethnography as a fruitful method for social research wishing to adopt a contemporary queer perspective.