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Intersectionality is a theory that examines how multiple forms of oppression and discrimination interact to create unique experiences for people.
The term "intersectionality" was coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, a critical race theory scholar and civil rights advocate. Her 1989 paper, "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine," introduced the concept to explain how antidiscrimination laws were inadequate for women of color, as they failed to recognize the combined impact of race and gender. Crenshaw's subsequent work, notably her book On Intersectionality, further developed this theory, emphasizing that power, privilege, and oppression are not simply additive but are complex and interwoven with various aspects of multiple identity and social positionalities. Intersectionality has become a key framework in academic and research settings for understanding the processes and consequences of oppression, as well as for identifying actionable strategies to dismantle oppressive systems and create equitable outcomes.
In research: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52352.html
Book: On Intersectionality : Essential Writings
"Over the past twenty years, the concept of “intersectionality” has emerged as an influential approach to understanding the complex facets of discrimination and exclusion in a society whose members—with often complex racial, gender, or sexual identities—can experience bias in multiple ways.
In this incisive introduction to Crenshaw’s groundbreaking work, readers will find the key essays and articles that have defined the concept of intersectionality collected together for the first time. Crenshaw explores how a holistic analysis of discrimination gives rise to a more nuanced understanding of salient social forces. This long-awaited volume examines the Central Park jogger case, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, LGBT activism, Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas, and other significant matters of public interest. In each case, her analysis challenges and exposes the intricate social dynamics among individuals and groups whose identities are increasingly layered.
This new account covers the evolution of the meaning of intersectionality over the course of two decades and how this concept has radically changed the face of social justice activism. On Intersectionality is compulsory reading from one of the most brilliant critical race theorists of our time." (Goodreads)
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