Positionality – Developing Cross-ideological Feminist Researchi

When we consider the different cultural spaces in which feminist social researchers might be carrying out empirical research the nature of ‘feminist social research ’ becomes difficult to define. The issue becomes even more complex when we consider the multiple standpoints, contexts and positionalities of different kinds of feminists from diverse backgrounds, both secular and religious. There cannot be a blanket universal agreement between feminists from different ideological positions regarding appropriate subjects and methodologies for research. Nevertheless, the writer concludes that through a pragmatic feminist approach, exemplified by working in a situated way with the materials that are available, we can move toward moments of issue-based coalition between standpoints. Key words: feminist social research, feminist standpoint theory, cross-cultural feminist research, Islamic and ‘Western ’ feminism