Mechanisms of Gender-Sensitive Approach in Sociological Research Integration

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to outline a typology of social researches depends on their relation to gender issues and give recommendations for gender-sensitive researching. The first type in typology-gender-focused researches – gender is an object or subject of the study. They are mostly focused on power relations, domination and inequality related to gender order. The second type - gender sensitive research - gender presented as a factor, but not as a subject. The researchers analyzed how gender, among other factors, affects processes, states, relations and attitudes. Also, they analyze the impact of certain political decisions on members of different gender groups. The third type - not gender sensitive (gender blind) studies -gender is not taken into account. They are often based on the assumption that the differences between men and women are not significant and have no impact on the research subject. Also, we can characterize each type of research as gender biased or not.
To do a gender sensitive research scientist has to: 1) understand his/her own gender attitudes and prejudices; 2) identify social attitudes towards the object of research; 3) avoid prejudice and double standards; 4) develop a conceptual framework that would reflect the experience of different gender groups; 5) build gender balanced and gender sensitive research team; 5) product and use gendered data; 6) use gender sensitive methodology; 7) make gender balanced sample; 8) develop gender sensitive tools; 9) use gender neutral or sensitive language for documentation and communication; 10) conduct gender analysis of the data; 11) make a reflection of the research process and results; 12) predict the impact of decisions, made based on the research outcomes, on different gender groups.