Intersectionality

Definition: A term which derives from Black feminist thought and broadly describes how social identities exist within ‘interlocking systems of oppression’ and structures of (in)equalities (Crenshaw, 1989). Intersectionality offers a perspective on the way multiple forms of inequality operate together to compound or exacerbate each other. Multiple concurrent forms of identity can have a multiplicative effect and are not merely the sum of the component elements. One implication is that identity cannot be adequately understood through examining a single axis (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, class) at a time in isolation, but requires simultaneous consideration of overlapping forms of identity.

Related terms: Bropenscience, Diversity, Inclusion, Interlocking, Open Science

References: Crenshaw (1989), Grzanka (2020), & Ledgerwood et al. (2021)

Drafted and Reviewed by: Madeleine Pownall, Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Bradley Baker, Mahmoud Elsherif, Wanyin Li, Ryan Millager, Charlotte R. Pennington, Flávio Azevedo

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