Latin American feminist anthropologies in the field of STS: contested spaces and legitimacies

Abstract (English)

In this paper, I intend to present the results of a research project that has been carried out since 2023 with Latin American feminist anthropologists dedicated to the interface with the field of social studies of science and technology (FAPESP Processo No. 2022/05943-0). The project unfolds from the desire to produce social sciences that are attentive to mutual dialogues (Sanjek, 2015), committed to "telling other stories" (Haraway, 2016; Manica, 2019), engaged with their public vocality (Vogt, 2012; Fleischer and Manica, 2021), and inventing creative and critical formats and methodologies (Anigstein et. al, 2023; Ballestero and Winthereik, 2021; Baines and Costa, 2022) through experiments such as the Mundaréu podcast (2023, 2023a, 2024, 2025), which collects and publicly presents some of the research findings. Telling other stories, telling the research stories of the anthropologists interviewed, was a way of creating rifts and alliances in a field dominated by male researchers. We have participated in scientific discussions on communication in social science events and forums, in working groups, thematic dossiers (Fleischer and Manica, 2021), thematic seminars and round tables (Manica and Fleischer, Anpocs, 2022; Manica et al, RAM, 2023; Manica et al, Esocite.br, 2023; Manica, ReACT, 2023).

I would like to specifically engage with the panel's proposal to think about the "exercise of feminist anthropology" by taking up and narratively organizing the experience of occupying some of these events with proposals explicitly labeled as feminist. I intend to present and discuss concrete situations that we have experienced when it comes to discussing gender and race/ethnicity within the respective scientific events in the Latin American STS (Science, Technology and Society) area, which are made up of different themes (especially socio-environmental agendas and those focused on science and technology policies) and which, above all, have a majority and hierarchically superior participation of male researchers. I propose to discuss the internal challenges of legitimizing the gender studies agenda and the participation and protagonism of women in this field. In particular, I ask how the difficulties we face are possible in a field that has been consolidated on the basis of so many feminist contributions from the Global North (Harding, 1986, 2015; Haraway, 1995; Anzaldúa, 1987; Barad, 2007; Butler, 1993; Keller, 1985, among others). I venture a correlation between the accusation by parts of the Latin American left of the "problem" of " identitarian" agendas in the confrontation with the extreme right, and the anti-misogynist confrontations that are still necessary in Latin American anthropology and other fields.