Replies
ANTTI MAUNU
Gender theory and
empirical research
A reply to Elina Oinas
A
ccording to Elina Oinas’ critique, our
ferences in men's and women's different
study approaches gender in a theo-
styles of experiencing drinking situations,
retically inadequate way from the very be-
especially
ginning. It follows, according to her, that
which refers to specific cultural ways of
intoxication-oriented
ones,
our results are predictable and essentialize
acting as (if not being) a woman or a man.
gender differences. By contrast, her opin-
Hence, our reading of gender differences
ion is that gender must be perceived in a
in drinking situations should not be taken
study's theoretical framework more me-
as an essentializing proposition but as a
ticulously and cognizantly than we have
contextual interpretation.
done; this secures a sufficient position for
The validity and reliability of any em-
gender in a study as a whole. Oinas' sug-
pirical study derives from how its research
gestion is one way to construct an empiri-
setting is constructed: How well-balanced
cal study, but it is not the only one.
is the unity formed by the study's theoreti-
In our article we aim to map drinking
cal standpoint, method for analysis, the
situations, or genres, and their inner dy-
previous research, and empirical data?
namics on the basis of our diary data. A
Our study can be criticized because gen-
crucial element is the gendered features
der does not emerge as the cutting edge of
of drinking situations. As a subtext there
its theoretical focus. This is because our
are previous empirical studies on drink-
research setting as a whole did not call for
ing situations. Theoretically our analysis
that. Previous research on drinking situa-
of gender is demarcated with the constitu-
tions does not focus on gender. (Though
tive idea that all experience and activity
we aim to revise the tradition, or rather
are situational. We do not thus suppose
because of that, we cannot ignore the tra-
that drinking situations were by defini-
dition.) The theories and methods we ap-
tion different for different genders. We ask
ply do not consider drinking situations
our data if it is so. Then, according to our
as gender-bound a priori. (In our reading,
analysis, there appears no remarkable gen-
Goffman also considers situations as prior
der differences in the cultural conventions
to gender.) The most important reason is
of drinking situations themselves, that is,
however that in our diary data many gen-
there are no women's or men's drinking
der-sensitive themes that might have been
situations as such. Diaries echo gender dif-
of theoretical interest, such as sexual-
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Replies
ity, were poorly articulated. On the other
not appear constructive to us to criticize
hand, the gender differences that came to
this study because it does not bridge all
the fore were rather traditional. As Oinas
discussions. A study should be evaluated
also notices, these phenomena are there in
on the basis of its own starting point, that
the diaries, and in empirical research you
is, its research setting and objective(s) as
have to take your data seriously, despite
a whole.
how surprising, conservative, or radical it
appears.
Every theoretical perspective has its
own, limited field of relevance just as every
We could have constructed our research
empirical dataset. The alchemy of empiri-
setting some other way. We could have
cal research is when incomplete theories
supposed that gender assigns drinking sit-
and incomplete datasets meet, open up
uations fundamentally different for differ-
and shed light on each other in a dialogue.
ent actors; we could have analysed gender
To me, this is the most relevant way to get
differences without a reference to drinking
something truly new and surprising out of
situations; or we could have tested some
either. But this alchemy may also produce
theoretical hypothesis on the construction
something that the researchers do not ex-
of gender during drinking practices or their
pect or wish.
expression, for example. But this would
Antti Maunu, M.Pol.Sc.
The Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies
Lintulahdenkuja 4, PL 220
00531 Helsinki, Finland
E-mail: antti.maunu@stakes.fi
have made another study, contributed to
different discussions and produced different results. We are ourselves dealing also
with other kinds of studies; and it does
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