Sociology Essay: Critique of Feminist Standpoint Theory Research

This essay provides a critical analysis of feminist standpoint theory within the field of sociology. It addresses the question of whether modern scientific forms of knowledge can be considered purely objective and neutral. The essay summarizes and evaluates the key arguments presented by prominent scholars such as Collins and Smith, who explore the significance of feminist standpoint theory in understanding social issues and the perspectives of marginalized groups. The discussion delves into the theory's core tenets, including the importance of situated knowledge and the recognition of power dynamics. The essay further examines the implications of these perspectives on the construction of knowledge and its potential biases. It highlights the importance of considering diverse viewpoints in the pursuit of a more comprehensive understanding of social phenomena and the need to revise existing theories. The essay concludes by emphasizing the ongoing relevance of feminist standpoint theory in contemporary sociological discourse.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY
The sociology refers to the branch of science that is related to the study of a particular
society, the social relationship patterns, the interaction of the various social beings as well as the
cultural aspects and norms that are followed within the given social boundaries. The modern
scientific theories that are applied to the fields of knowledge might be considered to have been
composed from the neutral point of view. The following attempts a discussion on the standpoint
feminist theory and the views that have been put forth by the concerned experts on the standpoint
feminist theory.
The standpoint theory is known to be a theory of the postmodern era. The theory is
generally utilized for the analysis of the various inter-subjective discourses. The standpoint
theory majorly states that the knowledge gathered by the concerned individual helps in the
matters that pertain to the creation and the maintenance of the authority that seems to be deep-
rooted within the concerned individual. The theory also aims to deal with the acknowledgement
of the power asserted by the achievement of the authority of the concerned individual on the
concerned subject of discourses. The feminist standpoint theory majorly discusses the three key
points. The first key point as discussed by the supporters of the feminist standpoint theory states
that the knowledge should be situated within the society. The theory further argues that the
various marginalized groups might feature in a manner the might situate them in the conditions
wherein the marginalized groups should be placed in a manner so that they might acquire the
ways wherein they might be made aware of the various matters that have been going around in
the contemporary world. The theory also enables them to inquire and demand for the more than
the knowledge more than the non-marginalized people. The theorists further state that the
knowledge as well as the activities of the acquiring of the concerned knowledge is should have

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started with the study on the lives of the concerned individuals who belong to the marginalized
sections of the society.
Collins (1986) argue that the female intellectuals with a dark-skin have long been known
to have occupied the marginal positions in the settings that are related to the academics. The
arguments that have been put forth by the author tend to agree to the various points that have
been highlighted by the other followers of the feminist standpoint theory. The theorist further
argues that the various marginalized groups might feature in a manner the might situate them in
the conditions wherein the marginalized groups should be placed in a manner so that they might
acquire the ways wherein they might be made aware of the various matters that have been going
around in the contemporary world. The theorist states that the feminist standpoint theory also
enables them to inquire and demand for the more than the knowledge more than the non-
marginalized people. As argued by Collins (1986) the female intellectuals having dark-skin have
been known for the fact that these intellectuals have been utilizing the various matters that
pertain to their marginality in the matters that are related to the social status within the society.
Smith (1997) tends to deal with the rectification of the feminist standpoint theory. The
theory states that the marginalized section of the society should be granted an extra margin over
the non-marginalized section of the society. This might lead to the matters wherein the progress
of the marginalized section might be observed to be higher than that of the marginalized section.
This might however be considered unfair. The secularity within the concerned society should not
be allowing the conditions that are related to the promotion and the upliftment of certain section
of the society while ignoring the other significant part of the same society.
Smith (2012) depicts the similar opinions on the matters that pertain to the feminist
standpoint theory. The article further supports that factor that the feminist standpoint theory must

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be rectified in order to deal with the matters that pertain to the factors that deal with the fact that
the marginalized section of the society should be granted an extra margin over the non-
marginalized section of the society. This might lead to the matters wherein the progress of the
marginalized section might be observed to be higher than that of the marginalized section. The
theory also enables them to inquire and demand for the more than the knowledge more than the
non-marginalized people. The theorists further state that the knowledge as well as the activities
of the acquiring of the concerned knowledge is should have started with the study on the lives of
the concerned individuals who belong to the marginalized sections of the society. be made aware
of the various matters that have been going around in the contemporary world. As argued by
Collins (1986), the feminist standpoint theory also enables them to inquire and demand for the
more than the knowledge more than the non-marginalized people.
Thus, from the above discussion, it might safely be pointed out that the modern scientific
theories that are applied to the fields of knowledge might be considered to have been composed
from the neutral point of view. The feminist standpoint theory should thus be advised to be
revised according to the present scenarios.

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References
Collins, P.H., 1986. Learning from the outsider within: The sociological significance of Black
feminist thought. Social problems, 33(6), pp.s14-s32. doi:10.2307/800672
Smith, D. 2012. The conceptual practices of power. In Calhoun, C. et al., (Eds.), Contemporary
Sociological Theory, 3rd edition (pp. 398-406), Oxford: Blackwell.
Smith, D.E., 1997. Comment on Hekman's" Truth and Method: Feminist Standpoint Theory
Revisited". Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 22(2), pp.392-398.