Embodied epistemology in cultural studies and feminism: investigating gender in masculinized spaces and masculinities; Encarnar la epistemología en estudios culturales y feministas: investigando género en espacios masculinizados y masculinidades

Abstract

This article analyzes the epistemological challenges of positioning as cultural studies researchers and feminist researchers when studying gender in masculinized spaces and masculinities. Through autoethnographic reflection, we examine two research experiences to highlight the importance of researcher positioning, emphasizing how social markers, personal experiences, and the ethical and political commitments of researchers shape and define the power dynamics that structure the research process. The validity of subjectivity in qualitative research is defended, and reflexivity is highlighted as a tool for questioning hegemonic norms and power structures. The article also addresses the tensions that arise when the boundaries between the subjectivity of the researcher and the experiences of the researched subjects are blurred in a context where objectivity remains the dominant criterion in social sciences.