Intersectionality theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 18-31
Author(s):  
Claudia Bernard
Author(s):  
Leah R. Warner ◽  
Stephanie A. Shields

Intersectionality theory concerns the interdependence of systems of inequality and implications for psychological research. Social identities cannot be studied independently of one another nor separately from the societal processes that maintain inequality. In this chapter we provide a brief overview of the history of intersectionality theory and then address how intersectionality theory challenges the way psychological theories typically conceive of the person, as well as the methods of data gathering and analysis customarily used by many psychologists. We specifically address two concerns often expressed by feminist researchers. First, how to reconcile the use of an intersectionality framework with currently-valued psychological science practices. Second, how intersectionality transforms psychology’s concern with individual experience by shifting the focus to the individual’s position within sociostructural frameworks and their social and political underpinnings. In a concluding section we identify two future directions for intersectionality theory: how psychological research on intersectionality can facilitate social activism, and current developments in intersectionality theory.


Author(s):  
Shreya Atrey

Why has intersectionality fallen by the wayside of discrimination law? Thirty years after Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term ‘intersectionality’, discrimination lawyers continue to be plagued by this question across a range of jurisdictions, including the US, UK, South Africa, India, Canada, as well as the UN treaty body jurisprudence and the jurisprudence of the EU and the ECHR. Claimants continue to struggle to establish intersectional claims based on more than one ground of discrimination. This book renews the bid for realizing intersectionality in comparative discrimination law. It presents a juridical account of intersectional discrimination as a category of discrimination inspired by intersectionality theory, and distinct from other categories of thinking about discrimination including strict, substantial, capacious, and contextual forms of single-axis discrimination, multiple discrimination, additive discrimination as in combination or compound discrimination, and embedded discrimination. Intersectional discrimination, defined in these theoretical and categorial terms, then needs to be translated into doctrine, recalibrating each of the central concepts and tools of discrimination law to respond to it—including the text of non-discrimination guarantees, the idea of grounds, the test for analogous grounds, the distinction between direct and indirect discrimination, the substantive meaning of discrimination, the use of comparators, the justification analysis and standard of review, the burden of proof between parties, and the range of remedies available. With this, the book presents a granular account of intersectional discrimination in theoretical, conceptual, and doctrinal terms, and aims to transform discrimination law in the process of realizing intersectionality within its discourse.


Author(s):  
Ellen Reese ◽  
Ian Breckenridge-Jackson ◽  
Julisa McCoy

This chapter explores the history of maternalist mobilization and women’s community politics in the United States. It argues that both “maternalism” and “community” have proved to be highly flexible mobilizing frames for women. Building on the insights of intersectionality theory, the authors suggest that women’s maternal and community politics is shaped by their social locations within multiple, intersecting relations of domination and subordination, as well as their political ideologies and historical context. The chapter begins by discussing the politically contradictory history of maternalist mobilization within the United States from the Progressive era to the present. It then explores other forms of women’s community politics, focusing on women’s community volunteerism, self-help groups, and community organizing. It discusses how these frames have been used both to build alliances among women and to divide or exclude women based on perceived differences and social inequalities based on race, nativity, class, or sexual orientation.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e042323
Author(s):  
Sten Axelsson Fisk ◽  
Martin Lindström ◽  
Raquel Perez-Vicente ◽  
Juan Merlo

ObjectivesSocioeconomic disparities in smoking prevalence remain a challenge to public health. The objective of this study was to present a simple methodology that displays intersectional patterns of smoking and quantify heterogeneities within groups to avoid inappropriate and potentially stigmatising conclusions exclusively based on group averages.SettingThis is a cross-sectional observational study based on data from the National Health Surveys for Sweden (2004–2016 and 2018) including 136 301 individuals. We excluded people under 30 years of age, or missing information on education, household composition or smoking habits. The final sample consisted on 110 044 individuals or 80.7% of the original sample.OutcomeApplying intersectional analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (AIHDA), we investigated the risk of self-reported smoking across 72 intersectional strata defined by age, gender, educational achievement, migration status and household composition.ResultsThe distribution of smoking habit risk in the population was very heterogeneous. For instance, immigrant men aged 30–44 with low educational achievement that lived alone had a prevalence of smoking of 54% (95% CI 44% to 64%), around nine times higher than native women aged 65–84 with high educational achievement and living with other(s) that had a prevalence of 6% (95% CI 5% to 7%). The discriminatory accuracy of the information was moderate.ConclusionA more detailed, intersectional mapping of the socioeconomic and demographic disparities of smoking can assist in public health management aiming to eliminate this unhealthy habit from the community. Intersectionality theory together with AIHDA provides information that can guide resource allocation according to the concept proportionate universalism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Andre Søraa ◽  
Eduard Fosch-Villaronga

AbstractIn this article, we investigate the relation between gender and exoskeleton development through the lens of intersectionality theory. Exoskeleton users come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and genders. However, it is often the case that wearable robot engineers do not develop such devices primarily on the premise that the product should fit as many end users as possible. Instead, designers tend to use the one-size-fits-all approach – a design choice that seems legitimate from the return of an investment viewpoint but that may not do as much justice to end users. Intended users of exoskeletons have a series of user criteria, including height, weight, and health condition, in the case of rehabilitation. By having rigid inclusion criteria for whom the intended user of the technology can be, the exclusion criteria will grow in parallel. The implications and deep-rootedness of gender and diversity considerations in practices and structural systems have been largely disregarded. Mechanical and robot technology were historically seen as part of a distinct male sphere, and the criteria used today to develop new technology may reflect the biases that existed in another time that should no longer be valid. To make this technology available for all, we suggest some tools to designers and manufacturers to help them think beyond their target market and be more inclusive.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley M. Ruiz ◽  
Jeneile Luebke ◽  
Katie Klein ◽  
Kaylen Moore ◽  
Michael Gonzalez ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Philip R. Alsup

Inspiring learners toward career options available in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is important not only for economic development but also for maintaining creative thinking and innovation. Limited amounts of research in STEM education have focused on the population of students enrolled in religious and parochial schools in urban settings; yet given the historic conflict between religion and science, this large sector of American education is worthy of examination. This chapter incorporates Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise as it relates to occupational aspirations, Bem's Gender Schema Theory to explain the role of gender in career expectations, and Crenshaw's Intersectionality Theory as it pertains to religion and urban location as group identifiers. Practical interventions for encouraging young students to consider STEM careers are discussed.


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