Men and Feminist Research: What Research? What Feminism?

In this chapter, we explore ways of thinking about men’s position in contributing to the aims of feminist activism and theorizing. First, we explore how research topic and design frames men’s engagement with feminism. We share examples from our own research practice to illustrate how easily diverging from the principles and purposes of feminism can happen. We show how we have experienced and addressed these issues, sometimes unsuccessfully. Second, we ask the question as to which feminism men are best able to practice through research and other professional activity. We reflect on our experiences of collaborating on research, especially with feminist women. We argue that the variety of feminisms engaged with, either implicitly or reflexively, has considerable implications for men’s ability to contribute to ending sexist workplace discrimination, structural professional exclusion, and violence against women at work.