Nordic Academic Feminism and Whiteness as Epistemic Habit

Abstract

This chapter is a contribution to ongoing discussions about Nordic academic feminism. It asks why and how this field continues to assume and reproduce whiteness as its naturalised point of departure and orientation and for forming a Nordic feminist “we.” It is largely conceptual, and I draw on a lived archive of 15 years of participant observation in ”Nordic” academic feminism as it has taken shape at conferences, in network and research meetings, and in classrooms and public debates. Building on the work of Sara Ahmed, Sirma Bilge, Lena Sawyer, Marta Cuesta and Diana Mulinari, I propose that whiteness can be understood as an epistemic habit of and within Nordic academic feminism. To that end, the chapter sketches a framework for understanding how whiteness is habitually and epistemically reproduced in broader logics of narration about the field, in forms of assembly and in responses to critiques of racism. Thus, whiteness is not simply a question of over-representation of white bodies, it is also about the orientations and comfort of white bodies, and about how some critiques and stories become understood as “ours” and others not.

Anti-gender Politics and Queer Theory

“…While queer theory, in principle, has been meaning to be particularly attentive to critiques of inequality, power and domination, it is also the case that the field oftentimes itself colludes in upholding unequal structures of academic elitism, through for example ignoring existing multi-dimensionalities of inequality, domination, discrimination and violence. In the context of Nordic academic feminism, Ulrika Dahl has identified epistemic habits of whiteness that effectively turn issues of race and racism and critiques of whiteness into, at best, secondary topics of theorisation (Dahl 2021). On this basis, we would argue that the reach of reactionary, trans national anti-gender movements emphasises the need for careful, multi-dimensional analyses and epistemic critiques of dominant trends within the broad interdisciplinary field of queer studies, of the kind so eloquently proposed by Natacha Kennedy.…”

Re-Imagining Sexual Harassment

“…Gender studies is institutionalised to varying degrees in the different Nordic countries, but in all five countries there are gender studies researchers working in different parts of the social sciences, medicine, education, technology, and the humanities. The differences in the development of gender research in each of the countries are due to different research policies, but overall gender research was initially closely tied to practical gender equality work driven by women's movements and often in direct dialogue with established political parties and gender equality goals (Alnebratt, 2009;Dahl, 2020). Intimate partner violence against women has had a much more prominent place in the political discourse, in activism and as an independent research field in these countries than sexual harassment.…”

magic of feminist bridging

“…Swedish whiteness remains an invisible power structure through which antiracism and gender equality are being articulated (Hübinette & Lundström 2014). Although the epistemic habit of whiteness in relation to Nordic academic feminism (Dahl 2021) has been examined along with the crisis of whiteness (Keskinen 2018), Swedish scholars continue to mostly engage with issues pertaining to Swedish Whiteness. At the same time, Critical Race Studies related to Swedish racism (Motsieloa 2003;Mulinari & Neergaard 2005;Schmauch 2006;Kalonaityte, Kawesa & Tedros 2007;2008) ).…”