Explanation
Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality emphasizes that individuals experience social advantages and disadvantages in complex, interrelated ways. For example, a Black woman may face both racism and sexism, which interact to shape her experience of inequality. In criminology, intersectionality is used to analyze how law enforcement, victimization, and criminalization are unevenly distributed across intersecting identities.
Theoretical Reference
Intersectionality is foundational in feminist and critical race criminology. It challenges one-dimensional analyses and promotes inclusive, nuanced understandings of social injustice.