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Birth
Donna J. Haraway was born on 06 September, 1944 in Denver, Colorado. Haraway's father was a sports writer for the Denver Post, and her mother passed away when Haraway was 16. Haraay was raised Catholic, and this had a strong influence on her later work. -
Undergraduate and Study in Paris
After graduating from Colorado University in 1966, majoring in zoology, with minors in philosophy and english, Haraway went to Paris for a year to study philosophies of evolution on a Fulbright scholarship. -
Graduation from Yale University
Donna Haraway received her PhD in biology at Yale circa 1972. Her dissertation, titled “The Search for Organizing Relations: An Organismic Paradigm in 20th-Century Developmental Biology”, covered biology, philosophy, and history of science and medicine. This was a metaphor for shaping experiments in experimental biology. She later edited her dissertation into a book titled "Crystals, Fabrics, and Fields: Metaphors of Organicism in Twentieth-Century Developmental Biology". -
A Cyborg Manifesto
In 1985, Haraway published on of her most impactful works, an essay titled "A Cyborg Manifesto". The essay was meant to serve as an "ironic political myth faithful to feminism, socialism and materialism" (291). Why ironic? "Irony is about contradictions that do not resolve into larger wholes. abut the tension of holding incompatible things together because both or all are necessary and true" (291).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiF9SBrzWoU -
Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective
In 1988, Haraway's thesis, "Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective" she highlights the myth of scientific objectivity. She defined "situated knowledges" as all knowledge comes from a situational perspective. Essentially those creating theories or hypothesis, the frame work of such, are all grounded in that person's personal biases and perspectives, recognizing this is essential to objectivity. -
Cyberfeminism
Donna Haraway's "A Cyborg Manifesto" paved the way in coining the term "cyberfeminism" in the early 1990's. Cyberfeminism describes feminists, especially younger feminists, remaking or re-visualizing modern technology, and being active participants in its creation. Breaking down the "toys for boys" trope, and bringing attention to the entirely male dominated technological culture. -
Primate Visions
In 1990, Donna Haraway wanted to highlight the masculine perspectives in primatology (the study of primates), publishing her book, "Primate Visions: Gender, Race, and Nature in the World of Modern Science". Haraway pointed out that the perspective of human origins, sex, gender, and reproduction were much different from a female perspective, and that for science to truly move forward, feminist/female perspectives were essential in keeping science truly objective. -
The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness
In Haraway's book "The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness" she highlights the importance of examining the relationship that humans have with dogs, and other companion animals. She believes that studying this relationship or companionship we share with certain species can give us important insight into companionship with other humans and other species. -
Make Kin not Population: Reconceiving Generations
In 2015, Haraway formed a panel with 5 other feminists. This panel was named "Make Kin, not Babies". The point of the panel was to examine the impact of our growing population and its impact on our environment, race, and class. This panel inspired the publication with Adele Clarke, "Make Kin not Population: Reconceiving Generations", (2018) focusing on environmental and reproductive justice and functions of family and kinship relationships. -
Donna Haraway's Contributions
Haraway's contributions to the world of science, technology, philosophy, and feminism are both unique and remarkable. Her work recognizing the unconscious and conscious bias in the male dominated scientific communities was incredibly important, as well as her work offering unique and thoughtful perspectives on gender, class, race, and societies through various methods/metaphors.