Intersectionality

In theory

Intersectionality refers to how individual and groups’ experiences of equality and inequality, exclusion and inclusion, privilege and oppression emerge from the ongoing intersections of gender, race/ethnicity, class, body ableness, sexual orientation, religion, citizenship, instead of as resulting from one social category. This means there is never one single, distinct factor that can explain social phenomena, but for example race, gender and class structures come together to shape people’s everyday realities. The meaning of these social categories may differ across interactions and relations depending on the social context: in one context a person might be more privileged, whereas in a different context they might be the ones who are disadvantaged.

In practice

Intersectionality is a way of thinking and analyzing that can help to understand the different (power) structures at work that shape the inequality that a person or group is experiencing. Yet, this also means that in practice we will not be able to distinguish between or account for all factors. For example, women in academia are often perceived as not fitting the image of the ‘ideal academic’ because of sexist stereotypes that result in their capabilities and knowledges being underestimated or questioned. Yet, racialized women may experience to be perceived as not fitting the image of the ‘ideal academic’ because of their gender, ethnicity and religion. It is this intersection of both sexism and racism that shape their daily realities and opportunities in academia.