| Session Title: En"gendering" Evaluation: Gaining a Deeper Understanding of Feminist Evaluation from Feminist Evaluators |
| Expert Lecture Session 669 to be held in Coronado on Friday, Nov 4, 1:35 PM to 2:20 PM |
| Sponsored by the Feminist Issues in Evaluation TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Linda Thurston, National Science Foundation, lthursto@nsf.gov |
| Presenter(s): |
| Divya Bheda, University of Oregon, dbheda@uoregon.edu |
| Abstract: A lack of clarity continues to cloud the evaluation community around what constitutes feminist evaluation. It is seen as gender-analysis, or evaluation focused on women's issues. It is also seen as evaluation that works towards social justice goals exploring intersectional identity aspects that differentially affect program impact and outcomes. This paper explores the information gained through interviewing 15 key feminist evaluators to understand and represent their perspectives on (a) what their understanding of feminist evaluation is; (b) the possible reasons behind why many evaluators choose not to identify as 'Feminist' in their practice and scholarship, even though their work draws strongly from feminist principles and research); and (c) the gains and losses personal-professionally, and for the evaluation field as a whole when feminist evaluators choose not to locate themselves as feminist evaluators. Alternate terms used for entry into evaluation endeavors to promote social justice goals are discussed. |