Zimbabwe Peace Project
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Theoretical underpinnings of the research
The study was inspired by the Feminist Standpoint Theory which argues that all
knowledge is socially situated. The theory places emphasis on the many stories that
women tell about their knowledge, experience and lived realities and how these structure
their social understanding (S Harding, 2012). It emphasises that the world has to be
understood from the perspective of intersections such as race, gender, social class,
disability and sexuality. Feminist Standpoint Theory draws upon the idea of a situated
woman with experiences and knowledge specific to her place in the material division of
labor and the racial stratification systems (Olesen, 2011, p. 130). It pays attention to
situational knowledge, that is knowledge that reveals the experiences and voices of
marginalised others. These experiences and voices are not only incorporated in this
research but serve as a starting point for building gender knowledge in politics. This study
analysed the narratives of women in politics and their experiences with VAWP, guarding
against homogenisation of their experiences by looking at different aspects contributing
towards their exclusion or inclusion in politics.
This study is also rooted in phenomenology, an approach to qualitative research which
focuses on exploring and understanding human experiences as they are perceived by
individuals. It seeks to uncover the essence of phenomena by examining how people
experience and interpret events, situations, or concepts. Phenomenology is a research
methodology that emphasises the study of individuals’ lived experiences to understand
the essence of a phenomenon. Phenomenology has three key distinct features namely:
It focuses on subjective experiences.
It explores meanings individuals ascribe to their experiences.
It uses in-depth methods to gather detailed data.
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