Feminist Communication Theory: A Semiotic Phenomenological Explication of Feminist Academic Theorizing
Dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (
1992)
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Abstract
The dissertation is a semiotic-phenomenological explication of feminist academic theorizing. Six primary feminist theoretical orientations provide the basis for the explication: Simone de Beauvoir's theory of woman as "Other," Kate Millett's theory of patriarchy, feminist philosophy of science, psychoanalytic feminism, marxist theory, and feminism unmodified. These theoretical orientations are thematized in the author's narrative description of texts in dialogue, and thus provides a meta-example of a feminist theorist's engagement in feminist theorizing. The narrative description constitutes the capta from which the explication proceeds. ;The explication allows for the specification of the methodological requirements for feminist theory construction as a participation in the existential situation taken by the feminist academic engaging feminist theory. The explication articulates the specific relationship between theory and practice as engaged by the feminist academic theorist in her practice. The theory and practice of feminist theorizing is ascertained after the fact of a feminist theory construction effort as it emerges from the practice of consciousness raising. In the practice of academic feminism the practitioner comes to specify the conditions which prefigured the emergence of the practice in the first place. Having engaged that practice, feminist theory construction specifies the conditions of its practice