Feminist geography
Encyclopedia
Feminist geography is an approach in human geography
which applies the theories, methods and critiques of feminism
to the study of the human environment, society and geographical space.
, feminist geography is often considered part of a broader postmodern, critical theory
approach, often drawing from the theories of Michel Foucault
, Jacques Derrida
, and Judith Butler
among others. More recent influences include critiques of feminism from postcolonial theorists. Feminist geographers often focus on the lived experiences of individuals and groups in their own localities, upon the geographies that they live in within their own communities, rather than theoretical development without empirical
work.
Many feminist geographers study the same subjects as other geographers, but often with a focus on gender
divisions. This concern has developed into a concern with wider issues of gender, family, sexuality etc. Examples of areas of focus which stem from this include:
In addition to societal studies, Feminist Geography also critiques Human Geography
and other academic disciplines, arguing that academic structures have been traditionally characterized by a patriarchal perspective, and that contemporary studies which do not confront the nature of previous work reinforce the masculine
bias of academic study. The British Geographer Gillian Rose's
Feminism and Geography is one such sustained criticism, focused on Human Geography in Britain as being historically masculinist in its approach. This includes the writing of landscape as feminine (and thus as subordinate to male geographers), assuming a separation between mind and body. The following is referenced from Johnston & Sidaway (2004), and further describes such a separation and its influence on geography:
Human geography
Human geography is one of the two major sub-fields of the discipline of geography. Human geography is the study of the world, its people, communities, and cultures. Human geography differs from physical geography mainly in that it has a greater focus on studying human activities and is more...
which applies the theories, methods and critiques of feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
to the study of the human environment, society and geographical space.
Areas of study
Rather than a specific sub-discipline of GeographyGeography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, feminist geography is often considered part of a broader postmodern, critical theory
Critical theory
Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
approach, often drawing from the theories of Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
, Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
, and Judith Butler
Judith Butler
Judith Butler is an American post-structuralist philosopher, who has contributed to the fields of feminism, queer theory, political philosophy, and ethics. She is a professor in the Rhetoric and Comparative Literature departments at the University of California, Berkeley.Butler received her Ph.D...
among others. More recent influences include critiques of feminism from postcolonial theorists. Feminist geographers often focus on the lived experiences of individuals and groups in their own localities, upon the geographies that they live in within their own communities, rather than theoretical development without empirical
Empirical
The word empirical denotes information gained by means of observation or experimentation. Empirical data are data produced by an experiment or observation....
work.
Many feminist geographers study the same subjects as other geographers, but often with a focus on gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
divisions. This concern has developed into a concern with wider issues of gender, family, sexuality etc. Examples of areas of focus which stem from this include:
- Geographic differences in genderGenderGender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
relations and gender equalityGender equalityGender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :... - The geography of women - spatial constraints, welfare geography
- The construction of gender identityGender identityA gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
through the use and nature of spacesSpacesSpaces may refer to:* Windows Live Spaces, the next generation of MSN Spaces.* Spaces , a virtual desktop manager implemented in Mac OS X Leopard* Gaps, a solitaire card game*Spaces, a 1974 album by Larry Coryell...
and placesLocation (geography)The terms location and place in geography are used to identify a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere. The term 'location' generally implies a higher degree of can certainty than "place" which often has an ambiguous boundary relying more on human/social attributes of place identity... - Geographies of sexualitySexuality and spaceSexuality and space is a field of study within human geography. The phrase encompasses all relationships and interactions between human sexuality, space and place, themes studied within, but not limited to cultural geography, i.e...
. (See also: Queer theoryQueer theoryQueer theory is a field of critical theory that emerged in the early 1990s out of the fields of LGBT studies and feminist studies. Queer theory includes both queer readings of texts and the theorisation of 'queerness' itself...
) - Children's geographiesChildren's geographiesChildren's geographies is an area of study within human geography and Childhood Studies which involves researching the places and spaces of children's lives....
In addition to societal studies, Feminist Geography also critiques Human Geography
Human geography
Human geography is one of the two major sub-fields of the discipline of geography. Human geography is the study of the world, its people, communities, and cultures. Human geography differs from physical geography mainly in that it has a greater focus on studying human activities and is more...
and other academic disciplines, arguing that academic structures have been traditionally characterized by a patriarchal perspective, and that contemporary studies which do not confront the nature of previous work reinforce the masculine
Masculine
Masculine or masculinity, normally refer to qualities positively associated with men.Masculine may also refer to:*Masculine , a grammatical gender*Masculine cadence, a final chord occurring on a strong beat in music...
bias of academic study. The British Geographer Gillian Rose's
Gillian Rose (geographer)
Gillian Rose is a British geographer and geographic author. As of May 2008, she is senior professor of culture at the Open University. She is best known for her 1993 book, Feminism & Geography: The Limits of Geographical Knowledge.-Career:...
Feminism and Geography is one such sustained criticism, focused on Human Geography in Britain as being historically masculinist in its approach. This includes the writing of landscape as feminine (and thus as subordinate to male geographers), assuming a separation between mind and body. The following is referenced from Johnston & Sidaway (2004), and further describes such a separation and its influence on geography:
List of related geographers
- Dolores HaydenDolores HaydenDolores Hayden is an American professor, urban historian, architect, author, and poet. She teaches architecture, urbanism, and American studies at Yale University.-Background:...
- Rosalyn Deutsche
- Sarah Holloway
- Cindi KatzCindi KatzCindi Katz , a geographer, is a Professor in Environmental Psychology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Women's Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center...
- Doreen Massey
- Linda McDowell
- Gillian RoseGillian Rose (geographer)Gillian Rose is a British geographer and geographic author. As of May 2008, she is senior professor of culture at the Open University. She is best known for her 1993 book, Feminism & Geography: The Limits of Geographical Knowledge.-Career:...
- Evelyn StokesEvelyn StokesDame Evelyn Mary Stokes, DNZM was a professor of geography at the University of Waikato in New Zealand and a member of the New Zealand government's Waitangi Tribunal...
- Gill Valentine
See also
- GeographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
- History of geographyHistory of geographyThe history of geography includes various histories of geography which have differed over time and between different cultural and political groups. In more recent developments, geography has become a distinct academic discipline. 'Geography' derives from the from Greek - geographia,, a literal...
- Critical geographyCritical geographyCritical geography takes a critical theory approach to the study and analysis of geography. The development of critical geography can be seen as one of the four major turning points in the history of geography...
- Cultural geographyCultural geographyCultural geography is a sub-field within human geography. Cultural geography is the study of cultural products and norms and their variations across and relations to spaces and places...
Further reading
- McDowell, Linda (1992) Doing gender: feminisms, feminists and research methods in human geography. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 17, 399-416.
- McDowell, Linda; and Sharp, Joanne P. (eds). (1999). A Feminist Glossary of Human Geography. London: Arnold.
- McDowell, Linda. (1999) Gender, Identity and Place: understanding feminist geographies. Cambridge : Polity Press, 1999
- Pratt, Geraldine (2004) "Working Feminism." Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
- Gillian RoseGillian Rose (geographer)Gillian Rose is a British geographer and geographic author. As of May 2008, she is senior professor of culture at the Open University. She is best known for her 1993 book, Feminism & Geography: The Limits of Geographical Knowledge.-Career:...
(1993) Feminism and Geography: The Limits of Geographical Knowledge Univ. of Minnesota Press - Seager, Joni and Nelson, Lise. (eds) (2004) Companion to Feminist Geography (Blackwell Companions to Geography). Blackwell Publishers, ISBN 1-4051-0186-5
- Valentine, Gill. (2004) Public Space and the Culture of Childhood. London:Ashgate
- Johnston, R.J. & J.D. Sidaway. (2004). Geography and Geographers. London: Arnold. Chapter 8: Feminist geographies.
Scientific Journals
- Gender, Place and Culture - A Journal of Feminist Geography Routledge ISSN 0966-369X Online ISSN 1360-0524