Feminist Research
We design and conduct research using critical audience insights and appreciative feminist frameworks tailored to the needs of your project. This work includes desk reviews, feminist methodologies for data collection, documentation of group processes, data analysis and writing.
Cases
Making a Feminist Internet: Movement Building in a Digital Age in Africa
Africa
Client: Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
In a nutshell: Live documentation of the process and content of a four-day convening, culminating in a synthesis report.
The challenge
The four-day event brought feminists from across the African continent and diaspora together for a series of workshops, brainstorms and discussions.
Methodologies were deliberately fluid, and we knew conversations were going to be dispersed across different pockets of the convening space and time.
Both process and content were crucial to capture for APC’s own learnings, and also to build knowledge pieces on a very emergent topic that is missing in published mainstream research.
One of the deliverables involved producing a publishable report that comprehensively captured what manifested over the four days.
The process
We worked as a five-person team to document 14 sessions amounting to over 50 workshop activities, in audio, visuals and text. Safety, and ensuring that we explicitly and consistently had the permissions of those around us to capture their presence was our first priority. We recorded presentations and discussions live using audio recordings and note-taking, and photographed all presentations, posters and other materials from group activities. Post-event, we worked together to consolidate data on a private cloud server and build various knowledge pieces around what had emerged from the convening. Care was taken with regards to participant security through a number of attribution protocols and follow-up processes.
The result
“Making a feminist internet: Movement building in a digital age in Africa” was published and made publicly accessible. The report authentically and comprehensively shared insights that continue to serve as a reference support ing emergent research and resource development in the field.
Skills implemented
- Real-time documentation of content and process
- Management of large data sets across remote locations with attention to safety
- Coding and analysis of data
- Consistent engagement with relevant stakeholders to ensure meaningful consent
- Planning and writing an 86-page report
- Editing and reviewing grammar, sentence and paragraph structure and references
- Working in a virtual context with a diversely skilled and multicultural team across time zones
No Straight Lines: Transformations with Young Feminist Organisers
Global
Client: FRIDA The Young Feminist Fund (FRIDA)
In a nutshell: Research and writing for the development of a feminist toolkit
The challenge
FRIDA wanted to develop a toolkit specifically for international NGOs and funders on how to engage with young feminist organisers. Given the politics and values of FRIDA, it was vital to ensure that the perspectives and experiences of young feminist organisers informed the evidence and recommendations published in the toolkit. At the same time, the language and framing of the resource needed to be supportive of INGO and funder enthusiasm to improve their mechanisms of engagement. This required translating the needs of young organisers into recommendations that feel viable to the reader, but also challenge current practices and promote structural change.
The process
Interviews were undertaken with young feminist organisers and other actors. Ethics regarding anonymity, confidentiality and an informed understanding of how interview data would be used were a key priority. The inherent power dynamic that would be present in the reality that a consultant hired by FRIDA was interviewing grantee partners about their relationsh ip with donors was spoken about upfront. Great care was also taken in the selection of grantee partners invited to participate to minimise any perceived risk.
Drafts were sent to those interviewed for feedback and confirmations of permissions before publishing.
The result
“No Straight Lines: Transformations with Young Feminist Organisers“ was designed and published as a microsite that offers guid ance to INGOs and funders that have a genuine interest and commitment to support young feminist organising and movements. It has offered a complementary analysis to a growing body of knowledge on funding feminist movements.
Skills implemented
- Designing and conducting key informant interviews remotely with organisers of diverse contextual backgrounds and identities
- Coding and analysis of data
- Centering ethics in research, writing and publishing processes
- Planning and writing of research
- Editing and reviewing grammar, sentence and paragraph structure a nd references
- Collaborating with a multicultural and multi-stakeholder team in a virtual context across time zones
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