Intersectionality as critical social theory

Tempered radicalism and intersectionality: Scholar‐activism in the neoliberal university

“…We then collectively discussed and analyzed our experiences to identify patterns of structural and systemic oppressions and conflicts in our institutions and organizations. This collaborative process of analysis allowed us to use intersectionality as a framework for understanding our social positions, locations, and contexts as tempered radicals in the academy, and to better understand where and how we exert power and privilege based on the multiple standpoints and identities that we each encompass (Chari & Donner, 2010;Collins, 2019).…”

“…Collectively, we found that our identities as tempered radicals were shaped by our experiences with mentorship as students and educators. Intersectionality provides a means of interrogating not only the structural frames of how academics are trained, but also how values are transferred generationally through unquestioned assumptions within dominant discourses (Collins, 2019). Interweaving intersectionality into mentorship, including into pedagogy inside and outside of the classroom, allows for students and faculty to examine how their experiences with marginalization and privilege impact their lives, communities, and their own perceptions and behaviors (Case, 2017a).…”

“…Separation between activism and scholarship renders academic labor towards systemic change for more equitable outcomes as invisible, such as collective work, public engagement, and advocating for causes (Blomley, 2008). In academic settings, legitimate knowledge stems from the strict training of researchers to focus on becoming objective producers of knowledge (Collins, 2019). Creating scholarship that is connected to social change is increasingly recognized as meaningful research, yet academic mentors often advise against activism because they do not value activism in their scholarship, or view activism as scholarship at all.…”

“…Mentors who are aware of and informed by intersectionality would acknowledge and respect the different contexts of knowledge production, including activism, to resist the hierarchical and patriarchal approach of mentoring that assumes students will replicate the research and methods of their advisors. The diverse backgrounds and positionalities that shape students' interests should be viewed as an advantage for expanding the depth and breadth of scholarship, rather than as a diminishment of the academy (Collins, 2019).…”

“…Activism across college campuses has been a global phenomenon for centuries and has surged in recent years as students have organized on campuses and joined movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, DREAMERs, and #MeToo (Rhoads, 2016). Yet, with its commitment to nonhierarchical collaborative and inclusive group dynamics and a shared commitment to multiissue social justice work that recognizes the intersectionality of issues as a core concern for transforming society, LTGJ does address a need within the neoliberal university (Collins, 2019). Ultimately, we feel that for universities to remain socially engaged and relevant in contemporary society, we need to advocate for the creation and care of welcoming academic spaces that offer room for dissent and activism on campus, and that explicitly connect university members to community concerns and needs around social, political, and environmental justice issues.…”