Intersectional Scholarship: Resisting the Tendency to Disconnect, Dilute, and Depoliticize

December 7, 1:00 – 2:30 (virtual)
Michigan State University
https://grcc.zoom.us/j/95081744069

NiCole T. Buchanan, Ph.D.

Psychological science has been slow to incorporate intersectionality, the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage, as a concept and as a framework for conducting research. This limits not only the potential for intersectionality theory, but also limits the potential impact of the research claiming to use it.

In this talk, I review intersectional theory and praxis, examine resistance to fully incorporating intersectionality, and highlight how research must shift to be truly intersectional. Finally, I will issue a call to scholars to integrate intersectionality theory and praxis and to resist the tendency to dilute and depoliticize intersectionality theory and disconnect from its social justice framework.