Foundational theories in visualization offer explanations and models for how people use visualizations to interpret data. A recent turn in visualization research has drawn attention to the ways in which these theories have limited explanatory power. Instead, researchers are drawing on alternative theories of knowledge, or epistemology, to address persistent problems in the field. This dissertation joins the conversation, presenting entanglement theory for visualization as an alternative epistemological theory and illustrative case studies that demonstrate how alternative theory in visualization shifts our attention and thus alters visualization research outcomes.

To support this claim, this dissertation presents two contributions that illustrate the productive capacity of feminist theory to contribute to visualization research. The first contribution is a novel theory for visualization transposed from feminist entanglement theory. Entanglement theory for visualization shifts the definitions of data, visualization, and insight toward relational and situated objects that are inseparable from feminist objects of concern: ethics, power, and privilege. Along with new definitions of data, visualization, and insights, we present three ways we mobilize feminist epistemology across visualization as the second contribution. The second contribution consists of three case studies demonstrating how feminist visualization theory drew our attention to previously ignored aspects of visualization design guidelines, the role of knowledge, and ethics in collaborative frameworks. Each case study illustrates the productive nature of approaching visualization research with an alternative epistemology.