The warp, weft and wherefore of qualitative feminist research in marketing

This chapter begins by acknowledging the evolutions in feminist research in the past two decades; e.g. scholars now talk about feminisms rather than feminism, and this shift underlies the multiplicity of research approaches. Multiple, fluid gender identities are now incorporated into the feminist discourse, where once feminist research was primarily about women and girls. The qualitative approach is the favoured methodology for many feminist researchers in marketing and consumer research, as it focuses on subjective experiences and meaning-making processes, thereby aligning well with feminist perspectives. I review the evolution of feminist research in marketing and elaborates on the issues feminist scholars face when adhering to the qualitative research tradition - e.g., the activist nature of feminist research, and the fact that research agendas unsettle, challenge and subvert existing norms in their intention to wield change. I argue that contemporary feminist research in marketing should reflect the greater diversity of gendered and feminist positions, and accommodate the diverse geopolitical, cultural landscape.