ABSTRACT
The problems within feminist thought raise the further problem of why feminist thought should be believed. Consideration of this question means treating feminism as social theory. Social theory may seem far removed from the daily lives of ordinary women and from the practical politics of women's liberation. Many new-wave feminists have dismissed social theory as irrelevant to feminism, as it has been equated with male modes of thought. Male domination of knowledge has been seen as part of the framework of women's oppression. While many social scientists would now identify themselves as feminists, few feminists identify themselves as social scientists. Nevertheless, feminist ideas do constitute a body of social theory and any effective connection between feminism and women's liberation needs a convincing social theory.
