Gay Men & Feminist Women: Networks of Collaboration & Competition “WHY IS IT PRESUPPOSED THAT THE MALE FEMINIST IS A HETEROSEXUAL MAN?” – CRAIG OWENS, “OUTLAWS: GAY MEN IN FEMINISM” D. Travers Scott, Sarah Arbogast ICA2012 - Phoenix, AZ 1
Gay Men �& Feminist Women: Networks of Collaboration & Competition
“WHY IS IT PRESUPPOSED THAT THE MALE FEMINIST �IS A HETEROSEXUAL MAN?” �
– CRAIG OWENS, “OUTLAWS: GAY MEN IN FEMINISM”
D. Travers Scott, Sarah Arbogast ICA2012 - Phoenix, AZ
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Theory!• Foucault:!
• Discursive constitution of identities!• Modern power!• Multiple competing discourses!
• Castells:!• Network as primary model of social organization!• Human and other actors!• Nodes and power switching!
• Collaboration / competition (not enemies / allies)!
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Components!• Historiographic discourse analysis!
• Case study: South Carolina!
• Original historiography!
• Focus groups!
• Network analyses:!
• Social media data mining!
• Nodes and network mapping!
• Follow-up interviews + personal network mapping!
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“Received view”!• Examination of 60+ historiographic works:!
• No extended treatment of two groups together!
• Almost every work at least mentions the other group once, if briefly:!
• Other group as parallel example!
• Theoretical citations!
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“Received view”!• Typically:!
• Individuals (e.g., Emma Goldman, Judith Butler)!
• Events (“Liberation moment,” AIDS)!
• Concerns:!
• Reduction to lesbian!
• Feminism as a problem for LGBT movement!
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S. Carolina: Archives!• Supports yet expands received view:!
• Homophobia in ERA campaign!
• SC Pride – N.O.W. networking!
• Different “liberation” timeline!
• Central figure is heterosexual woman!
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S. Carolina: Focus Groups!• Gay male / feminist female groups; 2 locations !
• Supports yet complicates received view:!
• Homophobia and sexism!
• Postfeminism!
• The GFB!
• Common obstacle: femininity!
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Networking!• Popular discourse v.“the received view”?!• Social media data mining: !
• Salesforce Radian6 sentiment analyses:!
• Minimal linkages!
• When linked, typically negative!
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Nodes & Switching "!• Multimodal search of blogosphere for each
group’s nodes:!• High powered influencer searches!
• Content!• Descriptive meta!
• Spread of content!• Social networking!• Supported by focus group!
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Networking: “Switchers”!• Inter-actor
analysis cluster map!
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Networking: “Switchers”!• Colink
analysis cluster map!
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Networking: “Switchers”!• Support from other research!
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Next Steps!Connection exists and collaboration is flux!Network analysis!In-depth follow-up interviews (power switchers)!Focus group participants!Online nodes!
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