Economic knowledge production has long been dominated by technocratic, positivist approaches that prioritise objectivity, neutrality and quantitative rigour. However, these paradigms often obscure power dynamics, exclude subjective evidence and fail to capture the complexities of real-world socioeconomic challenges. This dissertation argues that feminist methodologies –particularly participatory and interpretative approaches –offer ethical and change-oriented alternatives for socioeconomic research. Rooted in feminist, critical realist and action research traditions, it advances the pluralisation of economic methodologies through contextual, power-sensitive and transparent research that moves beyond dualistic thinking in the pragmatic pursuit of effective problem-solving.

The dissertation comprises three articles. The first examines the benefits, challenges and insights gained from fostering participatory collaboration between students and practitioners on a real-world socioeconomic issue. The second presents a simple yet comprehensive conceptual guide for understanding and initiating participatory research, particularly within feminist and social economics. The third applies an intersectional qualitative comparative analysis to examine the combinations of necessary and sufficient conditions which shape educational and career decisions. Themes of power, agency and structure emerge as central to understanding epistemic hierarchies in socioeconomic pedagogy, the gap between participatory rhetoric and quality, and how intersectional identities shape educational outcomes.

The findings highlight the need to recognise knowledge production as a social and political process, shaped by power relations that influence both material realities and epistemic frameworks. This research demonstrates that feminist-interpretative methodologies do more than critique dominant paradigms –they offer concrete pathways for understanding complex, socially-embedded economic phenomena. Ultimately, it calls for a more pluralist and participatory socioeconomics that can integrate academic expertise, lived experience and practical interventions to address pressing socioeconomic and socioecological crises.