EXPANDING EPISTEMOLOGIES: THE FRAMING OF GENDER AMONG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS

The field of research on gender is expanding with the emergence of new sites of knowledge production. This paper identifies how researchers and practitioners situated in different institutions are informed by different systems of knowledge in their study of gender, and what implications this has on what and how they study and on how these actors work together. Key informant interviews with gender specialists from universities, research organizations, NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and the state in Delhi, India are used as an illustration. Gender-related topics are framed in line with organizational frameworks. These specialists have adopted ‘pragmatic’ ways to bridge epistemological divides between the ‘gender and development’ and ‘feminism’ perspectives. The need for ‘evidence’ plays a critical role in changing expectations of researchers and practitioners in the field. By virtue of specialization, knowledge-producing institutions work interdependently towards the common goal of gender justice