Marxist Feminism Meets Postcolonial Feminism in Organizational Theorizing: Issues, Implications and Responses

In this paper I discuss the issues and implications of simultaneously drawing upon Marxist and Postcolonial feminist approaches to organizational theorizing in developing a theoretical/analytical framework for exploring the multiple interactions of productive and reproductive labour roles of female plantation and apparel workers of Sri Lanka. The paper aims firstly to look at different feminist perspectives to organizational theorizing—laying special empathies on Marxist and Postcolonial approaches—their origins, epistemological and methodological positions, contributions and shortcomings. Secondly it aims to compare and contrast the feminist theoretical approaches of Marxism and Post colonialism along each of these aspects with a view to identifying commonalties and or contradictions. Its third aim is to look for a plausible basis for integrating these two distinct theoretical approaches thereby identifying a meeting place where Marxist feminism and Postcolonial feminism intersect with and complement each other. The paper concludes by saying that such an integrative theoretical framework is indeed pertinent for exploring the multiple demands placed on women’s body and her labour within this specific context