Knowledge Hierarchies and Feminist Dilemmas: Contexts, Assemblages, Voices, and Silences

Abstract

Many feminist scholars have challenged West-centric epistemologies and offered concepts such as multiple modernities and decoloniality as appropriate frames for understanding and challenging knowledge hierarchies. Much of these challenges have come from the two-thirds world, though some emanated from scholars located in the one-third world. This chapter presents two related discussions. First, the challenge of moving beyond binaries such as the Global North and South, or one- and two-thirds worlds, even though every region, nation-state, and locale is marked by many discussions, debates, and challenges between the privileged and marginalized within the realms, currently and historically. Second, our scholarly ability to consider a broader knowledge production process, especially evident through the productions through virtual spaces. I examine efforts to include indigenous knowledge by feminists, and reflect on the continuing challenges of dismantling knowledge hierarchies.

Citation

Purkayastha, B. (2021), "Knowledge Hierarchies and Feminist Dilemmas: Contexts, Assemblages, Voices, and Silences", Adomako Ampofo, A. and Beoku-Betts, J. (Ed.) Producing Inclusive Feminist Knowledge: Positionalities and Discourses in the Global South (Advances in Gender Research, Vol. 31), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 23-41. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-212620210000031002