Paradigm shifts, feminist phase theory, and the missing variable in women's studies curriculum transformation projects

Abstract

Feminist phase theory describes the process of integrating women's studies scholarship as a series of identifiable stages, for both individuals and disciplines. Literature on the revolutionary and paradigm-shift potential of women's studies scholarship suggests important disciplinary differences in its construction, adoption, and diffusion. We reformulate feminist phase theory in paradigm shift terms, then operationalize and contrast two versions of it. Our analysis and review indicate that the missing variable in women's studies transformation projects is the participants' discipline. Data from our integration project show faculty in interpretive disciplines scoring higher on degree of integration of women's studies scholarship but not changing as a result of the project itself, while those in positivist disciplines do change but have lower absolute scores. These findings indicate a need for different integration strategies based on discipline. Empirical support for one sequential ordering in feminist phase theory argues for the importance and centrality of women-focused scholarship.