AN EXERCISE IN WORLDMAKING 2009 - ISS

144 STEFANIA DONZELLI
Encuentro, to make this investigation collective and participatory as
much as possible, notwithstanding time constraints. This inclination to
participatory research is in line with my conceptualization of research as
praxis. In fact, collective discussions and dialogue with people from Puntos
or who have been exposed to Sexto Sentido will involve them (and
me) in moment of reflection for action, thus in a strongly political activity.
Furthermore, the choice of not using the term focus group to refer
to the discussion meeting wants to highlight the importance of creating
spaces for mutual learning between the researcher and the participants.
CONCLUSION
In this essay I have introduced my ongoing research “Feminist Representations
of Rape and Victimization: The Case of Sexto Sentido in Nicaragua”
and I have reflected on how the epistemological position that I
would like to adopt in this investigation can support my core assumptions
on reality. More specifically, I have presented post-modernism, its
feminist variant and some elements of Gramscian thought, highlighting
which of the epistemological virtues of these postures I value more. The
biggest effort of this essay has been to try to make post-modernism and
Gramscian thought work coherently. Finally, I have explained how my
methodology is consistent with my epistemological posture. Still, I have
some doubts on a precise point: in certain moments I cannot understand
if my opinion tends more to asserting an objective need of emancipation
or to relativising it. It seems to me that oppression is self-evident in this
world, but at the same time to impose any type of universalism appears
as another form of oppression. In any case, I have an entire life in front
of me to clarify more this point: the hope never dies!
REFERENCES
Cameron, J. (2009) The Epistemology of Post-modernism and Poststructuralism,
Book draft mimeo
De Laurentis, T. (1987). Technologies of Gender. Essays on Theory, Film and Fiction.
Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana University Press.
Diamond, L. M. (2006). "Careful What You Ask For: Reconsidering Feminist
Epistemology and Autobiographical Narrative in Research on Sexual Identity
Development." Journal of Women in Culture and Society 31(2): 471-491.
Eco, U. (1962). Opera Aperta. Forma e Indeterminazione nelle Poetiche Contemporanee.
Milano, Bompiani.