Anthropology of women and feminist interventions within the science of anthropology

Karinčić, Leila. (2015). Anthropology of women and feminist interventions within the science of anthropology. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Chair of Anthropology. [mentor Pletenac, Tomislav and Potkonjak, Sanja].

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Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to portray the beginnings of feminist enquiries, as well as the epistemological reach of the anthropology of women - a sub-disciplinary field formed in the 1970’s. By taking an analytical approach, I focus on key authors and semantic figures of anthropology of women, which revolutionized anthropology as a science. The thematic scope includes theoretical attempts to deconstruct gender roles, as well as questioning and locating problematic narratives, their perception and reception, based on self-evident and prevailing myths. The authors’ trans-historic, transcultural and universalizing theoretical accomplishments, despite the shortcomings which can be seen from a modern perspective, notably identified and problematized cultural situations in which women are subordinated by a continually unequal position in relation to men, and which up until that period went unjustly and greatly unquestioned. It is important to mention that the identification of patriarchal structural oppressions, as well as the class and racial segregation resulted in the development of feminist epistemology, which I will be dealing with in the final chapter of this thesis. I also touched upon two theoretical texts, which present an inevitable continuation of the feminist enquiry, established by pioneering women and their work in the field of anthropology of women, anthropology as such, and ethnography. In the final part of my graduation thesis I point out some relevant epistemological reversals, which later feminists formed within the field of epistemology and methodology of scientific work. I conclude the thesis by identifying the historical point at which feminism finds itself at the present moment as a theory and a possible political movement.

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