Introduction
It is important to note that the social constructs and categories of race, class, gender and other grouping methods are imposed onto individuals with a predetermined type of identity. The Intersectional Theory provides a broader view of the issue by showcasing how one might experience oppression from a multitude of factors of several categories. In other words, individuals can become disadvantaged and oppressed not solely due to their race, class, or gender but rather the combination of the latter three.
Main body
The Intersectional Theory has an inherent advantage in improving the overall understanding of the power of various categorizations. The primary benefit of such a perspective is the consideration of all influencing factors. It also provides better scope of analysis of vulnerable groups since one group of people can be pressured by various forces at once. For example, African American women cannot be compared with Caucasian women or African American males since they might be experiencing oppression on the basis of gender as well as race at the same time. Therefore, the Intersectional Theory is able to identify and distinguish oppressed groups with further details. In accordance with Katherine Phillips’s proposition, it can be more plausible to focus on differential unique elements among groups rather than searching for commonalities and grouping people as such (Talks at Columbia, 2015). In other words, the given theoretical framework is more powerful due to its embracement of diversity than similarities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Intersectional Theory is superior to many other perspectives because it highlights the unique aspects of each group. It does not reduce people into a few categories but seeks to understand groups within a group. Therefore, diversity can be better understood from the Intersectional Theory’s lens.
Reference
Talks at Columbia. (2015). Why diversity matters | Katherine Phillips | Talks@Columbia [Video]. YouTube. Web.