Feminist livelihood studies: Mapping future directions

Feminist approaches to livelihoods deeply enrich development studies by focusing on gender, social difference, intrahousehold considerations, and other manifestations of power. In this paper, we suggest three pillars of feminist livelihood studies that advance debates in this field. First, postcolonialism and decoloniality are separate but related frameworks essential for situating feminist approaches to livelihoods. Second, social-relational and intersectional analyses provide critical understandings of the forces of oppression and difference that co-produce livelihoods. Finally, feminist research on the environment examines social-ecological dimensions of livelihoods that complement studies in feminist political ecology. Feminist methodologies are highlighted throughout our discussion and include the application of decolonising methods, reflexivity, and socio-spatial dynamics within livelihood research. Attention to these pillars through a critical feminist lens provides a transformative agenda for livelihood studies. In sum, the research and practice of feminist livelihoods presented here support new directions for development studies to disrupt colonial, masculinist, and racialised approaches and to decolonise the ways we interact with communities to affect change.