Exploding the canon: an introduction / conclusion.

Abstract

In the last few decades postmodernist critiques have increasingly dominated scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. Grand theories of the past have been called into question; particularities and difference(s) have triumphed as universal claims to knowledge have come under fire. Feminist scholars have reacted to postmodernist thought in a number of ways. Some reject it outright while others call for a synthesis of feminist and postmodernist approaches. This is particularly true of scholars concerned with the marginalization of Third women and women of color in the North. However many scholars and activists concerned with development issues in the South especially poverty and economic development dismiss this approach as a First World preoccupation if not indulgence with little practical application for Third womens development problems. Again other scholars have challenged this view arguing for the relevance of postmodern feminist thought to development issues. In order to explore rather than curtail this emerging debate Feminism/ Postmodernism/Development has brought together a number of specialists on gender and development issues and asked them to investigate the possibility that a more politicized and accessible version of postmodernist feminist thought could have relevance for the problems facing most women in the South and indeed many women in the North particularly women of color. Contributors have been encouraged to challenge each others assumptions and to explore the limitations and strengths of postmodernist feminist thought for gender and development theory and practice. In contrast to other collections we do not expect a synthesis to emerge from this exercise. Rather we have urged individual authors to write from their particular vantage point or locale. To remain true to the spirit of postmodernism we have also decided against a conclusion which we felt would bring premature closure to an ongoing debate. Instead we have opted for an extensive Introduction/ Conclusion which provides discursive space for debate and discussion within and beyond the confines of the book without imposing fixed answers to the questions posed. (excerpt)

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 80 citations exist upstream.