Feminist Epistemologies
In recent years, feminist epistemologies, such as feminist standpoint theories and feminist empiricisms, have been extremely influential in developing social theories of knowledge. They have also served as a crucial intellectual tool for feminist theorists trying to understand the connections between social relations of gender and the production of knowledge. In this course we will investigate some of the major themes and challenges of feminist epistemologies and feminist philosophies of science: How is knowledge socially situated? What does it mean to look at knowledge through a gendered lens? How is objective knowledge possible according to feminist epistemologies? We will work to understand the influence of feminist epistemologies on the fields of philosophy and women's and gender studies. (Approval required; Open to philosophy and women's and gender studies senior and junior majors, this course serves as a senior seminar for both majors. WAGS majors should have previously taken WAGS 0200 and WAGS/SOAN 0191.) 3 hrs. sem.