Researching Women's Lives From A Feminist Perspective

Introduction

Doing Feminist Research

Mary Maynard and June Purvis

 

Why this Book?

In 1981, Helen Roberts published her influential text Doing Feminist Research (reprinted in 1988). The appearance of this book was significant for a number of reasons. At a time when feminism was still treated with open hostility and ridicule in the academy, it indicated that feminist work comprised a serious intellectual pursuit, with important insights to contribute to our understanding of the social world. It helped to open up debate as to how taking account of women and adopting a feminist perspective affects the research process. Further, the book, which was based on the personal accounts of a number of people involved in research, argued that the problems ...