On Intersectionality: The Essential Writings of Kimberlé Crenshaw

by Kimberlé Crenshaw

Over the past twenty years, the concept of “intersectionality” has emerged as an influential approach to understanding the complex facets of discrimination and exclusion in a society whose members—with often complex racial, gender, or sexual identities—can experience bias in multiple ways.

In this incisive introduction to Crenshaw’s groundbreaking work, readers will find the key essays and articles that have defined the concept of intersectionality collected together for the first time. Crenshaw explores how a holistic analysis of discrimination gives rise to a more nuanced understanding of salient social forces. This long-awaited volume examines the Central Park jogger case, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, LGBT activism, Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas, and other significant matters of public interest. In each case, her analysis challenges and exposes the intricate social dynamics among individuals and groups whose identities are increasingly layered.

This new account covers the evolution of the meaning of intersectionality over the course of two decades and how this concept has radically changed the face of social justice activism. On Intersectionality is compulsory reading from one of the most brilliant critical race theorists of our time.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Race, Social Justice, Politics, Theory, Sociology

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

About the author

Kimberlé Crenshaw (also writes as Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw) is a professor of law at UCLA and Columbia Law School. A leading authority on civil rights, black feminist legal theory, and racism and the law, she is a co-editor of Critical Race Theory (The New Press). Crenshaw is a contributor to Ms. Magazine, The Nation, and the Huffington Post. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Jonathan]

Reading her famous essay on intersectionality was one of those "consciousness changing" moments for me as an undergrad. I just stumbled on a pdf of it online, which reminded me that I never read anything else of hers...so I will rectify that shortly...

Pdf here (essential reading for anyone interested in issues of gender/race etc - which should be all of you)

http://socialdifference.columbia.edu/...

[Rae (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this freshman year of college and still return to this because I was that moved. Still am. This was an assigned reading, a “textbook” that I rented, but loved so much I went out and bought. 💛 It was the first book that really opened my eyes to the intricacies of systemic racism and sexism and what I can do to educate myself to do better.

Kimberle Crenshaw is…powerful. Amazing. I try to read everything she publishes.
She writes in a way that can be understood, yet her words never lack depth. Highly recommend for those who would like to dip their toes into what intersectionality is and how it plays a vital role in dismantling the harmful systems in place.

[Issy Bittles · Rating 5 out of 5]

a MUST read

[madelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it for feminist philosophy. Good

[Leah Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely essential read. Changed the way I thought, pushed me to reflect in depth and inter-sectionalised my views towards feminism more.

[Doris Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK ABSOLUTELY NOT???