Navigating Open Science as Early Career Feminist Researchers

Kohinoor M Darda,Alexandra Lautarescu,Jaclyn A Siegel,Anna Henschel,Helena Hartmann,Kelly E Lloyd,Parise Carmichael-Murphy,Madeleine Pownall,Catherine V Talbot,Karen T Y Tang

doi:10.1177/03616843211029255

Abstract

Open science aims to improve the rigor, robustness, and reproducibility of psychological research. Despite resistance from some academics, the open science movement has been championed by some early career researchers (ECRs), who have proposed innovative new tools and methods to promote and employ open research principles. Feminist ECRs have much to contribute to this emerging way of doing research. However, they face unique barriers, which may prohibit their full engagement with the open science movement. We, 10 feminist ECRs in psychology from a diverse range of academic and personal backgrounds, explore open science through a feminist lens to consider how voice and power may be negotiated in unique ways for ECRs. Taking a critical and intersectional approach, we discuss how feminist early career research may be complemented or challenged by shifts towards open science. We also propose how ECRs can act as grass-roots changemakers within the context of academic precarity. We identify ways in which open science can benefit from feminist epistemology and end with envisaging a future for feminist ECRs who wish to engage with open science practices in their own research.

Highlights

In recent years, the open science movement has prompted a discipline-wide reappraisal of the reproducibility, replicability, and robustness of psychological science (Nosek et al, 2015; Open Science Collaboration, 2015)
Benefits of Open Science for Feminist early career researchers (ECRs). In light of these concerns about the marginalization of feminist scholarship, we suggest that open science may be a useful ally to feminist ECRs, by facilitating active and legitimate participation in academic spaces that have previously been closed off to those without access to insider knowledge (Fokken & van Kessel, 2020; Thwaites & Pressland, 2017)
We suggest that open science tools may allow feminist ECRs to compete such as by removing the barriers to disseminating research outputs despite the negative perceptions of the research area and the marginalization of ECRs as a group

Summary

Introduction

The open science movement has prompted a discipline-wide reappraisal of the reproducibility, replicability, and robustness of psychological science (Nosek et al, 2015; Open Science Collaboration, 2015). We consider the intersection between feminist and early career feminist research, noting both the barriers to participation and opportunities that open science may afford feminist ECRs. Psychology of Women Quarterly 0(0)

Results

Conclusion