Feminists Ask, Is Science Sexless?

SEX AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY Sandra Harding and Jean F. O’Barr, eds. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago, 1987. 304 pp. $10.95. Science has been regarded traditionally as sexless, and therefore removed from individual and institutional biases tha may influence less rigorous, more interpretive scholarly fields. How ever, as the papers in this volume demonstrate clearly, the assumption of gender neutrality in science is highly controversial. Indeed, as women have become increasingly active in the sciences, they have be. come concerned more with identifying and understanding gender biases in their discipline. The history of women in science, the ways in which science has been applied to social and political policies that af fect women, and the potential transformation of science to incorporate feminist perspectives are the subjects of this book. The selected essays are reprinted from articles published between 1975 and 1986 in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. As the editors point out in their introduction, there is no clear consensus among the papers; rather, “the differing approaches reflect the differing concerns of groups of feminists.” For example, while some feminists emphasize the need to create more opportunities for women to enter science, others stress the need to change the sociocultural environment in which science operates. These divergent views are valuable, particularly for readers unfamiliar with the issues. The book is divided into five sections: The Social Structure of Science, Misuses and Abuses of Science and Technology, Bias in the Sciences, Sexual Meanings of Science, and Epistemology and Metatheory. This useful organization allows the reader to turn directly to those sections of greatest interest; frequent cross-references among papers help focus attention on the interrelationships of topics. Several of the papers are especially noteworthy. For example, Londa Schiebinger’s “The History and Philosophy of Women in Science: A Review Essay,” offers a concise analysis of the ways women have gained access to the educational resources that are necessary to become a part of science. In a compelling discussion of how racist views have been supported by purportedly scientific findings, Inez Smith Reid’s “Science, Politics, and Race” reminds us of the potential abuse of science in the sociopolitical domain. “Biology and Equality: A Perspective on Sex Differences” by Helen Lambert provides a well-balanced examination of where biological sex differences remain controversial, and where they cannot be denied. It is somewhat disappointing that none of the papers provide detailed discussions of contemporary issues, such as the potential significance of recent biomedical advances that affect human reproductive processes directly. Widespread applications of these technologies would have profound social and political, as well as biological, consequences for women, yet the subject is mentioned only briefly by some of the authors. An additional section dealing specifically with current debates such as those surrounding artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood and child care programs would have been an appropriate and provocative addition to this book. Similarly, a concluding chapter by the editors would have presented a more unifying framework for the complex issues that are addressed. Nonetheless, it is encouraging to see that women in science are concerned with the future of science and its impact on society. Reading these essays, one cannot help being impressed, not only by the progress women have made in bringing their unique perspectives to science, but also by the distance they still must travel. Strier is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology Beloit College, Beloit, WI 53511.

Feminists Ask, Is Science Sexless?

SEX AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

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