Dorothy Smith's Standpoint Epistemology

Standpoint epistemology developed from the recognition of the lack of women in major political roles. Feminists argued that politics and international relations is conducted largely from male perspectives and male interests. In order to make the worth of women's lives more visible, it is necessary to evaluate it from their point of view. Standpoint feminism claims that feminist politics should be practiced from the standpoint of women or particular groups of women[1] . Some scholars for example Dorothy Smith argue that they are better equipped to understand certain aspects of the world. A women's standpoint epistemology suggests to make women's experiences a key focus, instead of men's. Dorothy Smith explains looking at the experience of female
Standpoint feminism puts forward that because women's lives and roles in almost all societies are considerably different from men's, women hold a different type of knowledge. Their position as a subordinated group allows women to see and appreciate the world in ways that are different and demanding to the existing male biased conventional knowledge. Feminist standpoint theory then makes a contribution to epistemology, to methodological debates in the social and natural sciences and to political activism. These ideas and beliefs formed by Standpoint feminist epistemology challenges a lot of the traditional understandings of politics and International relations.