Gender experts and critical friends: research in relations of proximity

Abstract :

Research on gender expertise is often conducted from relations of proximity between academics and gender experts, raising familiar feminist methodological questions about the researcher–researched relationship. In this article, I take up the suggestion that such relationships should be guided by the principles of 'critical friendship'. I argue that critical friendship should be understood as a two-way relationship that creates space to negotiate the goals of gender expertise and how it is practised. I also caution that relations of critical friendship may cause researchers to privilege the perspectives of Global North gender experts in academic analyses, while silencing other voices.

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