Intersectionality (Key Concepts)

gripping terms in the life of the intellect take hold over time, existentialism, deconstructionism, outlier. class hours, seminars, papers and conferences become devoted to meaning even while the term of the moment finds entry into everyday usage, seldom with accuracy, but always with purported understanding.

INTERSECTIONALITY arrives at a moment the term intersectionality is moving from academia to ordinary language. the authors, patricia hill collins and sirma bilge, both noted scholars, practitioners and arbiters of intersectionality, have taken time from their busy schedules to provide some clarity for students, scholars, activists, and the interested reader who likes to keep up with what’s going on by turning to the current literature available from booksellers and libraries.

instead of offering up a rigid definition, the authors provide examples from engagement by various oppressed people around the globe for social justice how intersectionality is used. the authors structure description of intersectionality from use to what they label as a creative tension, and for them this creative tension links use, praxis, with critical inquiry.

students of marx are familiar with praxis, though the authors’ referent, quoted throughout their book, is paolo frieri. in his PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED, he defines praxis as "reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed." frieri wrote that the oppressed could achieve critical awareness of their condition in their struggle; for colllins and bilge, critical awareness as part of critical inquiry situated within the academic domain. praxis is confrontational and shares solidarity among groups struggling for social justice.

the examples of social injustices, involving intersectionality, racism, sexism, poverty which the authors choose, brazil and sweat shops, are highly interesting and motivational in the remedial tactics and strategies employed, through planning or on the spot, such as spontaneous social protests. applying critique to events provokes ‘thinking about’ and theory building.

addressing the historicity of oppression of youth, poverty, sex, race, the authors locate different sites, hip- hop, identity, question situation within power with intersectionality used by those in power and those who power is used against, address the arguments from a feminism which sees no reason for intersectionality and discuss the uses of intersectionality in global politics where, for example, how a country’s laws against color or class prohibit access to national courts for persons and groups harmed can be circumvented by appeal to international law.

the authors do credit kimberle crenshaw for the word’s entry into the lexicon in a chapter which provides a history of ‘coalition building’ and how intersectionality is rooted in social movements and the participation of black women in social movements pre-1960s-70s manifesting in group activities, sit-ins, demonstrations, marches, etc, of the decade and shifting to later decades to inclusion within the academy bringing new programs, departments and syllabi.

unfortunately, the author’s informative and explanatory of intersectionality is a tangled arrangement of material with sections the common reader will find difficult understanding; the academic double speak requiring much unraveling.

the tone of the thesis is that the democracy of intersectionality as far its use by people on the front lines, is inclusive praxis, and the relationship of ‘creative tension’ with critical analysis exists within the university.

the message is: don’t look down your noses, literacy is an exclusionary skill of many people, and while the literate is making sense, or no sense, of this book, the real dialogue is praxis among the people, and whether or not they know the academic meanings of praxis and intersectionality, intersectionality persists.

intersectionality has its own literature, history, and practitioners and detractors. intersectionality isn’t going away any time soon. INTERSECTIONALITY will find a way to several seminars and classrooms, and be shelved in individual libraries as a reference tool.

readers interested in historical and contemporary overview of black feminist theory and intersectionality should read INTERSECTIONALITY: AN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY by ange-marie hancock, also published in 2016.

the book arrived on time. Its not a book I would pick up to read but it was for class.

Just what I was looking for! Timely arrival!

Love it!