Exploring the gender question in critical information systems

This paper addresses ways in which theorizing gender may be important in forming an understanding of the topic of emancipation, which is central to the new critical information systems (IS) based on the thinking of Habermas. After briefly discussing some problems with current research on gender and IS the paper argues that appropriate feminist theory may be useful in augmenting our understanding of foundational issues such as emancipation. The development of feminist philosophy and epistemology is briefly introduced. Habermas' 'ideal speech situation' is problematized in relation to feminist writing on male and female communication juxtaposed with recent research in computer-mediated communications. The paper continues by exploring the concept of emancipation through feminist epistemology and it closes with a preliminary consideration of how these concerns may be applied to critical IS.