Böcker av Margrit Eichler

First published in 1980, The Double Standard is a powerfully written book challenging the logic of much of the feminist literature in the social sciences. Although loyal to the tradition of feminist scholarship, Margaret Eichler argues that many feminist writers have unintentionally reinforced the sexual stereotypes that they seek to destroy, by using the wrong conceptual tools and the wrong language.The terms like 'sex roles' and 'sex identity' have been especially distorting because they are ambiguous, and in themselves become instruments of sexism. In both the language they employ and the explanations they offer, feminists must transcend sex as a criterion of social difference if they wish to overcome sexism in language and thought. This book argues that the double standard is the only relevant criterion for determining whether an identified sex difference is a matter of concern and not. (A double standard implies that two things which are the same are measured by different standards). Although usually employed in a strictly sexual sense the concept may be used for all types of behavior in which sex plays a role. The arguments of the book are controversial and provoking, but they sharpen the thinking of the feminist critique in a way that few other books have achieved. This is a must read for scholars and researchers or feminism, sociology of gender, and gender studies.

Change of Plans raises questions that are not commonly posed, suggests new avenues for thought in city planning, and contributes to the growing literature on sustainability by merging it with a feminist approach.

In accessible and jargon-free language, Margrit Eichler provides a systematic approach to identifying, eliminating, and preventing sexist bias in social science research. She begins with a general discussion of the problems and implications of sexism in research, and then identifies four primary sources of bias: androcentricity, overgeneralization, gender insensitivity, and double standards. Three derivative sources of bias -- sex appropriateness, familism, and sexual dichotism -- are also discussed. Each chapter defines a problem and provides illustrative examples drawn from recently published work. In the concluding chapter, Eichler outlines a step-by-step approach to avoiding the intrduction of sexist bias at each phase of the research process. She also provides concrete suggestions for eliminating bias in titles, language, research design, concepts, research methods, data interpretation, and policy evaluations and recommendations. The book includes a Nonsexist Research Checklist that is designed as a handy reference to be used during the research process. "Nonsexist Research Methods" is appropriate to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Written specially with students in mind, this book will prove invaluable to researchers and research methods courses in sociology, political science, economics, pyschology, anthropology, and women's studies.