Contents
Learning Goals
This week, we will learn about epistemology, or the study of knowledge, to be able to look at what it means to have a feminist way of knowing or learning about the world. The readings ask us to think about the intersections of race, ethnicity, and gender and how our social position shapes what we see, learn, and want to know. We will:
- Define “feminist epistemologies”
- Describe and explain Collins’ theory of an Afrocentric feminist epistemology and Anzaldua’s theory of language and identity
- Analyze a praxis model with the use of the above theories
- Reflect upon our own social locations, sites of feminist consciousness, and epistemologies
Read + Watch
- First, watch this video (8 minutes) for an overview of the key concepts for this week, information about the readings, and guiding questions that will support you as you read. You can also go directly to the notes that I review in the video here.
- Then, read the following:
- Collins, “Towards an Afrocentric Feminist Epistemology”
- In this piece, Collins argues for an “Afrocentric feminist epistemology”– what does she mean by this?
- Why does she state the following: “I found my training as a social scientist inadequate to the task of studying the subjugated knowledge of a Black women’s standpoint.” (p. 48)
- What is positivism and why is it problematic for Black women? (p. 51
- Why an “Afrocentric” consciousness? What does this mean?
- These components are critical to an Afrocentric feminist epistemology– pay attention to the specific examples Collins offers in each section:
- Concrete experience as criterion of meaning- knowledge + wisdom
- The use of dialogue in assessing knowledge claims
- The ethic of caring
- The ethic of personal accountability
- Anzaldúa, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”
- NOTE: In this piece, the author uses multiple languages– why does she make that choice? What is the experience of reading this piece + how does your own relationship to the languages in the piece shape your experience?
- What observations does the author make about language?
- Why does she say that “language is a male discourse?” (p.54)
- Or, that Chicano Spanish is a “border tongue?” (p. 55)
- What does she mean by “linguistic terrorism?” (p. 58)
- Like Lorde, Anzaldúa writes about using her voice and the role of silence. What does she see as the role of language in her identity?
- Like Collins, Anzaldúa mentions novels, movies, music, food– what is the significance of these sites for her? What do they offer? How are they sites of knowing?
Praxis Model: #Say her Name
- Every week, we will take a close look at an example of feminist praxis. This week, we will look at the #SayHerName campaign. This campaign started to address the issue of police violence against Black women.
- Check out their report and videos on the site here.
- As you look at the site, consider the following:
- What issues are important to #SayHerName?
- What are the ideas (theory + analysis) that inform their work?
- What strategies do they use to make their intervention? What are the goals of their action?
- What is compelling or interesting to you? What questions do you have?
Post and Comment on Discussion Board #3
Please respond to all sets of questions below. The post should be 400-600 words (and can be longer). Your post should address all of the questions listed. For your responses, you can select quotes from the text or paraphrase the authors.
- In your own words, describe and explain Collins’ theory of an Afrocentric feminist epistemology. Why does she say it is needed, and what does it include? Reflect upon the #SayHerName campaign. Does this campaign use an Afrocentric feminist epistemology, and if so, how?
- Describe and explain Anzaldua’s overall argument about language and identity. Give examples from the text to back up your discussion. Do you agree with her claims about the importance of language to identity? Why or why not?
- One of the points of this week’s readings is that our own social position shapes who we are, how we know what we know, and what we can see. Reflect upon your own social location, the sites of feminist or other consciousness in your own life, and how this has shaped “how” you know. What are the “sites of knowing” that have been critical to your own way of understanding the world? If you could describe the different components of your own feminist epistemology, what would it include?
Work on Final Project
- Complete 3 idea proposal– due Tuesday, 9/15!
- Set up meeting #1 with professor. You can sign up for an appointment here
- Once you have met with me, start working on your draft proposal — due next week, Tuesday 9/22
