The Female Turn

This book traces the history of how evolutionary biology transformed its understanding of females from being coy, reserved and sexually passive, to having active sexual strategies and often mating with multiple males. Why did it take so long to discover female active sexual strategies? What prevented some researchers from engaging in sexually active females, and what prompted others to develop this new knowledge?

The Female Turn provides a global overview of shifting perceptions about females in sexual selection research on a wide range of animals, from invertebrates to primates. Evolutionary biologist and feminist science scholar Malin Ah-King explores this history from a unique interdisciplinary vantage point. Based on extensive knowledge of the scientific literature on sexual selection and in-depth interviews with leading researchers, pioneers and feminist scientists in the field, her analysis engages with key theoretical approaches in gender studies of science. Analyzing the researchers' scientific interests, theoretical frameworks, specific study animals, technological innovations, methodologies and sometimes feminist insights, reveals how these have shaped conclusions drawn about sex. Thereby, The Female Turn shows how certain researchers gained knowledge about active females whereas others missed, ignored or delayed it that is, how ignorance was produced.

Makes a novel contribution to the history of the last 50 years' sexual selection research from a gender perspective Written by a researcher with unusual interdisciplinary expertise in evolutionary biology and feminist science studies Accessible to a broad audience across biology, science studies, gender studies, history and philosophy of science

Auteur

Malin Ah-King is an evolutionary biologist (PhD) and Associate Professor in Gender Studies at the department of Ethnology, History of Religions and Gender Studies, Stockholm University in Sweden. She is a gender and science researcher, specializing in feminist science studies of sexual selection, and has authored numerous articles concerning gender and queer perspectives on biology.

Résumé

"I really enjoyed reading Ah-King's book. It is thought provoking, insightful and I highly recommend it." (Ingo Schlupp, ISBE Newsletter, Vol. 36 (1), 2024)

Contenu
Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. An early female turn in primate research.- Chapter 3. Turning appreciation of female choice.- Chapter 4. A female turn in bird research.- Chapter 5. Shifting perceptions about female insects, snakes, frogs, lizards, fishes and spiders.- Chapter 6. Sexual selection after mating: turning perceptions of female agency.- Chapter 7. Conclusions: An Epistemology of Ignorance in Sexual Selection