Intersectionality
Framework of understanding how different aspects of identity such as race, class, gender, sexuality, etc. intersect and interact to create a unique experience of privilege, oppression, and marginalization
What does intersectionality emphasize?
Individuals experiences are shaped by interlocking systems of power and oppression
Social structure
Set of interlocking social institutions in which we live
Structural position
Mix of opportunities and constraints offered to us by the social structure
Institutional discrimination
Outcome of social institutions being designed to favor some kinds of people over others
Why is intersectionality important?
Shows how we are not defined by one identity but several and helps us understand other experiences
What did first wave feminism (1848-1920) focus on?
Granting women’s right to vote (19th amendment granted white women right) but marginalized black women who had been fighting for years
What did second wave feminism (1963-1980) focus on?
Reevaluation of traditional gender roles, critique of women not being able to work, and end to sexist discrimination
What did third wave feminism (1990s) focus on?
Addressed sexual harassment in workplace and encouraged women to be in positions of power and express sexuality
- Intersectionality coined
What does fourth wave feminism (present day) focus on?
Continuation of third wave, focus on institutional discrimination, intersectional feminism
- Fueled by social media activism
- Intersectionality popularized
Why is intersectionality important to understand for feminism?
Helps consider experiences of women of color and other classes and sexualities to advocate for all women
Dialogical relationship
Relational context that values uniqueness of each person and emphasizes direct, open, and mutual relations between people
Critical social theory
Theorizing about the social in defense of economical and social justice
Coalition building
Coalitions with people from other groups helps achieve justice
Black feminist thought
Empowerment of African-American women within the context of social injustice sustained by intersectional oppressions
Critical social theory
Theory that examines and critiques power structures and inequalities for there to be social change
Why is intersectionality a critical social theory?
Goal is to examine how differing identities hold different privileges/disadvantages and reduce these inequalities
How is the eugenics movement and birth control an example of intersectionality?
White and black women had different experiences with birth control and sterilization
- White women had hard time accessing and black women were encouraged to take it
Eugenics
Set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the “genetic quality” of a human population
Why is intersectionality important?
Shows we are not impacted by one identity at a time and it is impossible to understand another’s experience just because you share one identity
Positive eugenics
Promoting the reproduction of certain sorts or kinds of people
Negative eugenics
Keeping certain kinds of people from reproducing
-
Introduction: The Science of Social Facts20
-
Chapter 2: Culture and Construction55
-
Chapter 3: Our Identities17
-
Chapter 4: People in Interaction26
-
Chapter 5: Deviance and Defiance32
-
Unit 1: Supplemental Readings3
-
Chapter 6: Organizations, Institutions, and Structures65
-
Chapter 7: Economic Inequality59
-
Chapter 8: Institutionalized Racism44
-
Chapter 9: Gendered Oppression64
-
Education38
-
Intersectionality22
-
Elite Power36
-
Power of the People42
-
The Environment23
