Does the Concept of Intersectionality Merely Serve to Identify Diversification in Individual Experiences?

Abstract

With the growing attention to intersectionality as a key concept in discussions on structured discrimination, there appears to be confusion about its purpose and application. Questions arise about whether this concept should be operationalized through interaction effects in statistical analyses and whether it promotes the segmentation of people's social locations into numerous categories to elucidate differences in their experiences. In an effort to resolve these ambiguities, an examination of extant literature reveals that this concept has never been intended to simply delineate differential experiences based on finer social location categories or levels of disadvantage resulting from structured discriminations. Originating in feminist movements and research, this concept has been employed to address whose experiences of such discriminations are considered normative, shedding light on the unequal societal treatment of the voices of women of color and individuals in other marginalized positions as well as interdependent relations among multiple forms of discriminations.