ERIC ED376011: Power and Method: Political Activism and Educational Research. Critical Social Thought Series.

251 Pages·1994·3.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
RC 019 857
ED 376 011
Gitlin, Andrew, Ed.
AUTHOR
Power and Method: Political Activism and Educational
TITLE
Research. Critical Social Thought Series.
ISBN-0-415-90690-3
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
94
NOTE
251p.
Routledge, 29 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001.
AVAILABLE FROM
Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers,
PUB TYPE
Books (010)
Essays, etc.)
(120)
MF01/PC11 Plus Postage.
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*Activism; American Indian Education; Black
DESCRIPTORS
Education; *Critical Theory; Criticism; *Educational
Research; Elementary Secondary Education; *Feminism;
Hidden Curriculum; Higher Education; Homosexuality;
Politics of Education; Fower Structure; Researchers;
Research Methodology; *Research PrOblems
Critical Inquiry; *Empowerment; Politics of Research;
IDENTIFIERS
*Researcher Subject Relationship
ABSTRACT
This book scrutinizes some basic assumptions about
educational research with the aim that such research may act more
powerfully on those persistent and important problems of our schools
surrounding issues of race, class, and gender. In particular, the 13
essays in this book examine how power is infused in research by
addressing such questions as what role political activism can play in
the research process, how to understand the "other" from an insider's
point of view, and whether educational research can confront and act
upon oppressive structures such as patriarchy and Eurocentrism.
Feminist, gay and lesbian, Black, and American Indian perspectives
and responses to those perspectives are offered in the following
(1) "Dis-stance and Other Stances: Negotiations of Power
essays:
(2) "Fertile Obsession: Validity
inside Feminist Research" (M. Fine);
(3) "When Method Becomes Power"
after Poststructuralism" (P. Lather);
(4) "Queer Relations with Educational Research" (G. M.
(D. Patai);
(6) "Red Ribbons at
(5) "On Method and Hope" (W. G. Tierney);
Leek);
(7) "The Power To Know One Thing
the Cracker Barrel" (R. Platizky);
Is Never the Power To Know All Things: Methodological Notes on Two
Studies of Black American Teachers" (M. Foster); (8) "Witchcraft and
Blessings, Science and Rationality: Discourses of Power and Silence
in Collaborative Work with Navajo Schools" (M. D. LeCompte and D.
(9) "Empowering the Culturally Diversified Sociological
McLaughlin);
(10) "Alternative Methodologies and the
Voice" (J. H. Stanfield, II);
Research Context" (A. Gitlin and R. Russell); (11) "Distance and
Relation Reconsidered: Tensions in the Ethnographic Text" (D. Dippo);
(12) "Expanding Our Notions of 'Critical Qualitative Methodology':
Bringing Race, Class, and Gender into the Discussion" (L. Lamphere);
and (13) "Extending Power and Specifying Method within the Discourse
of Activist Research" (J. G. Ladwig and J. M. Gore). This book
contains author profiles and an index.
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1
POWER
AND
METHOD
Critical Social Thought
Series editor: Michael W. Apple
John Bascom Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and
Educational Policy Studies, Ul.,versity of Wisconsin-Madison
Already published
Critical Social Psychology Philip Wexler
Reading, Writing and Resistance Robert B. Everhart
Arguing for Socialism Andrew Levine
Between Two Worlds Lois Weis
Porter and the Promise of School Reform William J. Reese
Becoming Clerical Workers Linda Valli
Racial Formation in the United States Michael Omi and Howard
Winant
The Politics of Hope Bernard P. Dauenhauer
The Common Good Marcus G. Raskin
Contradictions of Control Linda M. McNeil
Social Analysis of Education Philip Wexler
Keeping Them Out of the Hands of Satan Susan D. Rose
Primary Understanding Kieran Egan
Working Class Without Work Lois Weis
Capitalist Schools Daniel P. Liston
The New Literacy John Willinsky
Becoming a Woman Through Romance Linda Christian-Smith
Growing Up Modern Bruce Fuller
Getting Smart Patti Lather
Teacher Education and the Social Conditions of Schooling Daniel P.
Liston and Kenneth M. Zeichner
Teachers and Crisis Dennis Carlson
Views Beyond the Border (Country Dennis L. Dworkin and Leslie
G. Roman (eds)
I Answer With My Life Kathleen Casey
Japan and the Pursuit of a New American Identity Walter Feinberg
Race, Identity and Representation in Education Cameron McCarthy
and Warren Crichlow (eds)
Doing Sex Education Bonnie Nelson Trudell
Public Schools That Work Gregory A. Smith (ed)
4
posy -R
AND
METHOD
POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
EDITED BY
ANDREW GITLIN
LEDGE
Loudon
New York
Published in 1994 by
Routledge
29 West 3.5 Street
New York, NY 10001
Published in Great Britain by
Routledge
I New Fetter I.ane
1
London EC4P 4FF
Copyright F' 1994 by Rout ledge
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free
paper.
All rights reserved. Ni, part of this hook may he reprinted
or reproduced or utilized in
any form n- by any electronic, mechanical or other means. now known or hereafter
invented, au:biding photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Power and method
political activism and educational research /
:
Andrew Gitlin, editor.
(Critical social thought)
cm.
p.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0.415-906139.X(hb)
ISBN 0-415-90690.3(ph)
I. EducationResearchMethodology.
2. EducationResearch
Political aspects.
3. Critical pedagogyResearch.
4. Feminism
and educationResearch.
Gitlin, Andrew David.
I.
II. Series.
1994
1.111028.P565
370Y.78dc20
93.15749
CIP
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data also available.
CONTENTS
vii
Acknowledgments
ix
Series Editor's Introduction
Michael W. Apple
INTRODUCTION
The Shirdng Terrain of Methodological Debates
Andiew Gitlin
AND METHOD
SECTION ONE: PERSPECTIVES ON POWER
Feminist
Dis-stance and Other Stances: Negotiations of Power
13
Inside Feminist Research
Michelle Fine
36
Fertile Obsession: Validity After Poststructuralism
Patti Lather
61
(Response) When Method Becomes Power
Daphne Patai
Gay and Lesbian
77
Queer Relations With Educational Research
Glorianne M. Leek
97
On Method and Hope
William G. Tierney
116
(Response) Red Ribbons at the Cracker Barrel
Roger Platizky
Cultural
Know
The Power to Know One Thing Is Never the Power to
all Things: Methodological Notes on Two Studies ti
I2Q
Black American Teachers
Michele Foster
v
/ CONTENTS
VI
Witchcraft and Blessings, Science and Rationality: Discourses of
Power and Silence in Collaborative Work with Navajo Schools
147
Margaret D. LeCompte and Daniel McLaughlin
(Response) Empowering the Culturally Diversified
Sociological Voice
166
John H. Stanfield, II
SECTION TWO: POWER AND METHOD IN CONTEXT
Relationships Within Qualitative Research
Alternative Methodologies and the Research Context
181
Andrew Gitlin and Robyn Russell
Distance and Relation Reconsidered: Tensions in the
Ethnographic Text
203
Don Dippo
(Response) Expanding Our Notions of "Critical Qualitative
Methodology": Bringing Race, Class, and Gender into the
Discussion
217
Louise Lamphere
SECTION THREE: POWER AND METHOD REVISITED
Extending Power and Specifying Method Within the Discourse
of Activist Research
227
James G. Ladwig and Jennifer M. Gore
Index
239
Contributors
245
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
relationships
Volumes such as this often reflect ongoing discussions and
the
that have taken place over a long period of time. Several people at
through their
University of Utah have taken part in these discussions and,
this project. I would
ideas, criticisms, and support, have shaped the nature of
Margonis,
especially like to thank Donna Dcyhle, Harvey Kantor, Frank
and Audrey Thompson.
students, educa-
Perhaps our greatest thanks needs to go to the progressive
have suggested that academics need not
tors, and political activists who
difference in the world
only to produce new knowledge but also to make a
hooks like Power
In particular, feminist scholars have created a space for
subject" relation-
and Method by focusing our attention on the researched"
understanding and
ship and by raising questions about the link between
outside the educational
change. These scholars and many others working
discuss further ideas on educational research
arena have provided a forum to
the series editor, and
We want also to give special thanks to Michael Apple,
feedback, editorial
Jayne Fargnoli of Rout ledge, who have given us critical
endless patience and in-
suggestions, and encouragement. Robyn Turner's
sight also was essential to the completion of this project.
Obsession: Validity
An earlier version of Patti Lather's chapter, "Fertile
Sociological Quarterly (1993)
After Poststructuralism" was published in the
34 (4): 673-93.
vii
9
SERIES EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
Power and Method is an unsettling hook. Usually this word unsettling
has negative connotations. It speaks of nervousness, the loss of certainty,
feelings of discomfort. Yet, while each of these descriptions is accurate as
far as it goes, I use the word, and these descriptions, in a much more positive
shaken. For those of
way. Certain things need to he unsettled, need to be
assumptions that deserve to be
us in education, among the most important
"unsettled" is the belief that researchas it is currently done in both its
with
quantitative and qualitative formsis a "good thing." If done well,
signifi-
particular attention to the existing canons of research protocol, it is a
improving educational policy and
cant tool in understanding and ultimately
practice.
unexamined
But what if this assumption is naive? What if it is based on an
foundation that begins to crumble when looked at closely? What if research
behind them
is a political act? These questions and the concerns that stand
history. What has changed is the growing
are not new; they have a v, 7y long
sophistication in how we ask and answer these questions. Stimulated in part
by the
by feminist, anti-foundationalist, and post-colonialist theories and
b:Lw power is created and used, there is
newer approaches to the study si
that has begun to strongly influence the
now an immensely fertile literature
themselves into their research and
ways critically-oriented scholars place
shows the
place their research into the wider relations of power. This book
fruits of their efforts.
Gitlin's own words:
The ain of the volume is put very clearly in Andrew
researchers
"For those writing in this volume the central question is not how
the
of different orientations can learn to get along so that we can maintain
discipline and continue doing research in accustomed ways, but how the
whole enterprise of research, both qualitative and quantitative, can be recon-
ceptualized so that it can more powerfully act on some of the most persistent
surrounding issues
and important problems of our schools, namely those
of race, class and gender."
he politically engaged
Too often, the idea that educational research must
researchers
is reduced to a slog-;-.. It is a purely rhetorical point in which
oppressed groups but then go
assert their organic connections with various
than the
about their business in ordinary ways. Some researchers go further
rhetorical level. They actively seek to deconstruct and reconstruct the ways
ends are gener-
in which research goes on, the ways in, which its means and
problems
ated, and who counts as a "researcher" in the first place. The