Thursday, September 3, 2009

Feminist Theory/Organic Inquiry

Feminist Approach
Organic Inquiry

I have mixed-emotions and responses to both feminist theories—relational-cultural and organic inquiry. On the positive side of each is the focus on women—how they interact, think, and relate is the focus. I am always pleased by women being considered in their own psychological right rather than “just different from men,” which seems condescending and trivializing—much like the traditional patriarchal theological myth that women were created from a bit of leftover man. I also resonate with the study of women by women because I believe that shared, lived experience is ultimately more important to understanding why people, female or male, do /feel/think the things they do.
Conversely, I struggle a bit with relational-cultural theory and organic theory in that they may open the door for empiricists to pigeon-hole females more firmly into “help-mate” or secondary roles or irrational/feeling lack of scientific objectivity (which is a myth also). Of course, once one studies the methodology and research behind the theories, it is easy to see that they encompass complex subject matter. Still, it seems that focusing so heavily on the fact that women often define themselves by the way they relate to others could be misconstrued as not having an identity independent of the people surrounding them, hence the still-existing traditional (in many places, alas) gender roles.
However, scientific-method misgivings aside, at an intuitive and transpersonal level, organic inquiry makes much sense and has great value, I think. Truly, how many of us do not define ourselves through our experiences in our relationships and culture—male and female? As human beings is it even possible to do otherwise?
Power-dynamics aside, most of us are direct products of our environments until we embark on intentional, conscious journeys and begin learning new ways of “seeing.” It has been my educational experience at ITP that much of what we study is a mixture of science and organic inquiry. Perhaps all science is—I am not entirely sure, to be honest. I must say that the process of organic inquiry is appealing to me. It seems to place equal value on all experiences but uses what have been considered female attributes of heightened perception, intuitive knowing, and communication skills. I believe that all humans possess the innate ability to use these modalities but social constructs have created artificial gender divisions in skills. Of course, my biological knowledge is limited, so there may be a larger biological component to these feeling modalities than I am aware of, which of course limits my ability to reason about this subject.
Honestly, however, I must still admit that helping others through shared experience and by inviting others into our transformative process is wonderful. I use this at work as do most of my co-workers, which of course, takes us back into relational-cultural theory--relationships and culture color and inform our perspectives and sense of self.
I think that I have just realized what most created my misgivings on these two theories, scientific pigeon-holing aside: I think they are “part-and-parcel” of one another. I am unsure how the two theories can be separated. We approach most everything through a perspective largely created through our cultural expectations, limitations, and expressions/experiences and then take those experiences and analyze them, create realities, and share our visions after that process has been completed. I really do not think the theories can be separated in their end result—better understanding of people—male and female.

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