ABSTRACT
We are delighted to present this special issue on feminism and quantitative methods. We believe that such an issue is exceptionally timely. Within the field of feminism and women’s studies debates about, and resistance to, quantification persist. These, however increasingly intersect with debates within the wider research community about the development of appropriate methodologies that take account of new technological and philosophical concerns and are fit-for-purpose for researching contemporary social, philosophical, cultural and global issues. Two areas serve as exemplars in this respect as they combine wider social science and specifically feminist methodological concerns. The first is the increasing focus amongst social scientists with capturing and analysing the complexity of social life. Within feminism, this is seen in debates about intersectionality and the need to recognise the implications of multiple social positions/divisions and associated power structures. As Denis comments in respect of intersectional analysis methodological development is struggling to catch up with theory:
The challenge of integrating multiple, concurrent, yet often contradictory social locations into analyses of power relations has been issued. Theorising to accomplish this end is evolving, and we are struggling to develop effective methodological tools in order to marry theorising with necessary complex analyses of empirical data. (2008, p. 688)
