Feminist Standpoint Epistemology

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What is a feminist standpoint epistemology? Evaluate Patricia Hill Collin’s feminist standpoint and her gender analysis of black political economy. The purpose of this paper is to analyse Patricia Hill Collin’s feminist standpoint and her gender analysis of black political economy. The first section will outline feminist standpoint epistemology, followed by an analysis that evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of Collin’s framework. This will be demonstrated by deconstructing Collin’s work on intersectionality, the matrix of domination and her take on the private and public spheres. The objective of this paper is to articulate the extension of previous black feminist standpoints Collins builds upon, to provide a more sophisticated framework. …show more content…

These interrelated features demonstrate and analyse the fundamental impacts of power structures on knowledge, meanwhile advocating specific investigation that stems from standpoints emerging from shared political struggle of subjugated civilians (Allan, 2014). The objective of these standpoints is to acknowledge, analyse and draw upon power relationships that stimulate change, ultimately leading to more just societies (Solomos, 2011). From the perspective of women, feminist standpoint epistemology forces us to critically observe and understand society as a whole (Collins, 2006) The significance of black feminist standpoint epistemology is to encourage awareness to marginalized groups and provide mechanisms that enhance their position within society (Collins, …show more content…

Collins, P 1989, The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, U.S.A. Hartford Publishing 2015, Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination, viewed 3 September 2015, http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/252.html John Solomos 2011, Patricia Hill Collins: Intersecting Oppressions, viewed 29 August 2017, https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/13299_Chapter_16_Web_Byte_Patricia_Hill_Collins.pdf. Patricia Hill Collins 2006, Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological Significance of Black Feminist thought, viewed 25 August 2017, http://users.clas.ufl.edu/marilynm/Theorizing_Black_America_Syllabus_files/Learning_from_the_Outsider_Within.pdf. Routledge 2016, Black Feminist Thought, viewed 3 September 2017,

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