Elevating the Voices and Research of Fat Scholars and Activists: Standpoint Theory in Fat Studies

ABSTRACT

Unfortunately, when it comes to much of the research on fat people, the voices of fat people, including fat researchers and activists, are either marginalized or absent. We believe one way to address this shortcoming in the literature is through greater use of standpoint theory, particularly the application of standpoint approaches that emphasize the importance of situated-knowledge and the epistemic advantage of marginalized groups. In this introduction to the special issue on standpoint theory in fat studies we provide a brief overview of standpoint theory, discuss the achievement of fat standpoint, raise questions about the challenges of engaging in fat studies and fat activism as fat scholars, and highlight the importance of epistemology that is derived from fat people’s own experiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Standpoint theory
• epistemology
• fat standpoint
• fat activism
• positionality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laurie Cooper Stoll

Laurie Cooper Stoll is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Her research explores inequalities in education, gendered violence, and fat studies. She is the author of two books, Race and Gender in the Classroom: Teachers, Privilege, and Enduring Social Inequalities, awarded the 2015 Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award by the Race, Gender, and Class Section of the American Sociological Association, and Should Schools Be Colorblind? She has also published articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Interpersonal Violence; Race, Ethnicity and Education; Violence Against Women; Qualitative Sociology; Journal of Latinos and Education; Humanity & Society; Computers in Human Behavior; and Research in Social Movements, Conflict, and Change.

Darci L. Thoune is Associate Professor of English and the First-Year Writing Program Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where she teaches first-year writing and upper-level writing courses in writing and rhetoric. Her research focuses on first-year writing, writing program administration, feedback, and fat activism. Her scholarship has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as WPA: Writing Program Administration, Across the Disciplines, and JoSoTL and in several edited collections.