Modernist Reductionism or Post-structuralist Relativism: Can we move on? An Evaluation of the Arguments in Relation to Feminist Educational Research

Debate abounds concerning the extent to which post-structuralist theory can be usefully applied to feminist research. This article attempts to draw together and outline the main arguments, and to establish a position which might be built from in the future. The reasons why many feminist educational researchers have been attracted to post-structuralist theory are explored, as are the criticisms of post-structuralism as an inadequate, even androcentric theory, which have been levelled by other feminist researchers. A distinction is suggested between the application of post-structuralist theory to descriptive research, and to emancipatory research. Having explored the emancipatory suppositions of feminism, and the deconstructive elements of post-structuralism, it is argued that 'pure' post-structuralism cannot be used effectively in emancipatory research because of its deconstruction of the truth narratives that constitute such research. It is argued that a new approach is necessary to take research beyond mere analysis of the use of particular discourses in education, to deconstructing dominant gender discourses in the classroom.