CULTURAL STUDIES – RESPONSE PAPER I

RESEARCHER SITUATEDNESS

SUBMITTED BY –

ABHISHEK TYAGI

ROLL NO. – 79

SECTION - B

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The subject of cultural studies, as the name suggests, deals with the different approaches to

study culture. As it could be seen in the introductory sessions on this subject, there is an

attempt to understand the subject, its theoretical underpinnings, its contemporary relevance

and some current theoretical frameworks which constitute this subject. In the backdrop of

these introductory sessions, this paper attempts to critically reflect upon a new, contemporary

way of studying culture known as Researcher Situatedness

This paper touches upon the ideas of Donna Haraway who introduced the concept of

“situated knowledges” - Regardless of which approach is chosen, a researcher reflects on

their own role and understanding, as they can’t exist in a neutral environment. Prior

understanding is a basis to decide meaning and patterns in their surroundings. The

researcher’s tries to highlight this context and shows which parameters the analysis falls

within.

In cultural studies, including feminist approaches, researchers help in contributing to the

development of socio-cultural realities through their production of knowledge about them.

The own experiences of researchers, their roles and status, as well as their disciplinary

perspectives affect the production of knowledge, particularly in case of theory building,

methodologies, and research practices.

This concept developed during the time when feminist studies were pushing for recognition

as well as inclusion of women’s perspectives and lives in research. The production of

scientific knowledge is not separate from the social and cultural contexts in which that

knowledge is produced.

Another concept that we came across in the introductory sessions for this subject has been

partial perspectives. In mainstream science/scholarship, partial perspectives are seen in

negatively since these are not objective and objectivity is always associated with neutrality.

Haraway talks about partial perspectives and the locatedness of knowledge in positive terms,

i.e., it is not in opposition to an objective, universal, impartial understanding but since they

are embodied and situated, they are responsible and accountable; and they are objective. But

Haraway also believes that no knowledge producers, and no partial knowledges, are innocent.

This again requires the continual need for critical enquiry with responsibility and

accountability.

In these sessions, it was noted that initial methods of understanding culture were fraught with

repercussions involving rearticulation of cultural differences into biological differences and

reassertion of western/colonial supremacy. In such scenario, researcher situatedness is a way

out. Baukje Prins (1997) believes that situated knowledges aid in countering asymmetrical

relations for those who are in the margins, the “inappropriate/d others”, and not for dominant

and mainstream sections.

This “situated” context has been theorised in other areas as well – Theorising organizational

change due to introduction of technological innovations, Orlikowski (1996) contrasts

“situated change” to planned and radical change.

In knowledge management, Schultze and Leidner (2002) show an interpretive discourse on

“the dynamic and situated nature of knowledge”. Lave and Wenger (1991) and Wenger

(1998) focus on learning as a “situated process” and the importance of situatedness of

experience in communities of practice. Even in Media studies, scholars document “situated

culture” in which participation is through networks of direct and interpersonal

communication (O’Sullivan, Dutton and Rayner 2003)

APPLICATION OF RESEARCHERS’ SITUATEDNESS:

Taking situated knowledges seriously offers new ways of theorizing and developing new

models of social, cultural, and economic processes. This has been demonstrated by some

scholars. For e.g. Percy Oware analyses the development models of the World Bank and the

IMF and suggests that if the development models of Western economic thinking are to work

successfully they have to be based on “Situated Development” – to take into consideration

the knowledges and understandings of the local communities.

Mairama Hamran Bello suggests that education policy can be improved by turning directly to

local communities instead of opting for western education structures. Hamadou shows that

the revitalization of gender dependent art, buildings and traditions is possible through

knowledges from local and traditional vocations, by making them relevant for planning and

development.
Apart from all these, it has been suggested that ancient handicraft traditions with new

initiatives could be turned into commercial tools, material, souvenirs, and events, which are

attractive for both the localites and foreign visitors.

CHALLENGES TO THE CONCEPT OF RESEARCHER SITUATEDNESS

One very major challenge that this concept faces is the dynamism of time and space and with

changing times and spaces, there comes different and diverse situated knowledges which

contest with each other.

Taking into account the situated knowledges of “others” is an effort to reduce power

differentials, which is obviously an enormous challenge for the future of situated knowledges,

in theory, methodology and practice.

PERSONAL VIEWPOINT:

In my own view, I consider the concept of researcher situatedness to be very important one in

studying culture. The fact that a researcher is after all, a social being and thus, has his own

views which explain the researched subject is a very valid one in the current context when

there are observations and scenarios whose interpretation is influenced by researcher’s

situatedness.

Going beyond the present structural framework, I believe that this approach of researcher

situatedness can actually present new dimensions to existing theoretical framework about

cultures and could probably lead to a completely new theoretical framework about certain

cultural aspects simply because this approach may try and look at that particular aspect from
a point of view that may have been overlooked because it may have been going against the

principle of objectivity but this approach could bring it to the fore and provide a new

dimension to that aspect which till now was not considered.