Feminist Theory and the Redefinition of Technical Communication

Abstract

To study the possible impact of feminist theory on technical communication, this article discusses six common characteristics of feminist theory: (a) celebration of difference, (b) impact on social change, (c) acknowledgment of scholars' backgrounds and values, (d) inclusion of women's experience, (e) study of gaps and silences in traditional scholarship, and (f) new female sources of knowledge. Three debates within feminist theory spring out of these common characteristics: whether to stress similarity or difference between the sexes, whether differences come from biological or social forces, and whether feminist scholars can avoid reinforcing binary opposition. The article then traces the impact of these characteristics of feminist theory and debates within feminist theory on the redefinition of technical communication in terms of the myth of scientific objectivity, the new interest in ethnographic studies of workplace communication, and the recent focus on collaborative writing.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1991-10-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651991005004002
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (24)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly
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  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  6. Technical Communication Quarterly
  7. Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  9. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  10. Computers and Composition
  11. Technical Communication Quarterly
  12. Technical Communication Quarterly
  13. Technical Communication Quarterly
  14. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  15. Technical Communication Quarterly
  16. Technical Communication Quarterly
  17. Technical Communication Quarterly
  18. Technical Communication Quarterly
  19. Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (7)

  1. Rhetoric Review
  2. Written Communication
  3. Written Communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Research in the Teaching of English
Show all 7 →
  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 12 works outside this index ↓
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  2. 10.2307/377329
  3. 10.2307/376723
  4. 10.3102/0013189X016007016
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  6. 10.1017/CBO9780511605901.002
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  12. 10.1080/01463378309369495
CrossRef global citation count: 41 View in citation network →