There are several points made by Prof Wibben in the last chapter of her book, Feminist Security Studies, which I believe are critical to the field and academia more generally. I especially agree with her suggestion that scholars must recognize the relationship between identity and narrative. Much too often, studies are considered "real", "valid", and "important" only if they are "objective" (is anything ever really completely objective anyways?). As scholars, feminists, and citizens more generally, I think its critical to "Ask ourselves the hard questions about what we are doing and why we are doing it", as Andrews states (quoted in Wibben 2011: 110). This is a topic which has interested me all semester, and which was widely discussed at the workshop. Whether one uses the term self-reflexivity, subjectivity, or positionality - I think the main point remains the same - the ability to acknowledge that we are all "situated" beings - from a certain class, race, sexual orientation, gender, political affliation, nation, and so on. Secondly, we must recognize how these subject positions inform our research.
Though I generally agree with Prof Wibben's analysis of the 9/11 narrative, and I agree that binary, totalizing rhetoric is both unproductive and inaccurate, I don't believe that the "other" in this case - those responsible for 9/11, should at all be considered political agents, as so doing (I believe) assumes that those responsible have some sort of rational, intelligible motive, which I don't believe is the case. Nonetheless - I agree with the overall point being made - that in the future of FSS and feminism more generally, anytime that an incident like 9/11 takes place, there are always multiple possible narratives, multiple possible meanings, which cannot be reduced to simple binary terms of "us" and "them".
Wibben, A. (2011). Feminist Security Studies: A Narrative Approach. New York: Routledge
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