Doing fieldwork on women in theocratic Islamic states: A critique of the politics of empiricism

This paper examines the way some feminist advocates of cultural relativism adopt positivism and empiricism in order to discredit the radical critique of Islamization of gender relations in Iran. It argues that relativists use the positivist/empiricist cult of experience and objectivity in order to undermine the critique of policies and practices that oppress the women of Iran. The choice of a method of inquiry is not based on methodological considerations only. The researcher's political preferences, implicit or explicit, plays a significant role in the entire research process, especially in the study of sensitive issues. Although one may identify a methodological tradition with a certain brand of politics, the paper argues that methodological paradigms enter into changing relationships with structures of power.