MODULE 3::Theoretical Article Review

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is a theory that was developed by Kimberle Crenshaw, a feminist of color who was troubled by the more mainstream notions of feminism that seemed to exclude the experiences of women of color and queer women in the 1970s and 1980s (Bubar, et al., 2016). Over the past decade, intersectionality has become a prominent theory in social work education as the profession has given much more attention to the impact of colonization on social work clients. The foundations of intersectionality and post-colonial approaches to social work are built on the idea that populations on the margins who have been most impacted by issues of racism, colonization, sexism, homophobia, and many other forms of marginalization are often not included in conversations addressing these issues.

In social work, intersectionality has largely been looked as a framework for understanding how issues of power, privilege intersect and focuses largely on the complex and diverse experiences that people have related to their race, class, gender, SOGI (sexual orientation gender identity), ability, etc. For instance, if we were looking at the experience of a teenager who is placed in the foster care system, those experiences might look different for a child who is black when compared to a child who is white. Similarly, the experiences for a child who is gay, or lesbian might look different than a child who is not. An intersectional lens or analysis would expose the diversity of experiences within groups.

An important component of both intersectionality and post-colonial social work is the attention that is given to both the oppressed and the oppressor.

A common critique of many social work theories it they fail to address the role of the oppressor, especially when it comes to issues of racism and gender violence. Intersectionality and post-colonial social work place a strong emphasis on issues of power and privilege and the way that oppressions work together to produce injustice. Consider the following case

example:

Elsa is a 34-year old woman who migrated to the U.S. from Guatemala after her ex-husband and his father had threatened violence against Elsa and her 8-year old son. Both Elsa and her son are undocumented. Nearly a year after arriving in the U.S she and her son were living with a boyfriend that she had met at her workplace. The boyfriend was controlling with Elsa and her son and has recently started to perpetrate behaviors that Elsa considered to be both psychologically and physically abusive.

An intersectional and post-colonial approach to Elsa's case would offer a lens to look at the factors related to her identity, status, socioeconomic that would make Elsa's more vulnerable to being in an abusive relationship. For instance, does Elsa's undocumented status make her more vulnerable to force or threats, control tactics such as financial control, humiliation, and emotional isolation . Furthermore, intersectional and post-colonial approaches would also look at the tactics and behaviors or her abuser, as well as the systems and structures that contribute to her vulnerability. For instance, the increased immigration enforcement and deportation might make Elsa reluctant or even fearful to reach out to law enforcement or even to social service organizations, because the fear of being Deported..

Power and the Social Work Relationship

The dimension of Power in the client-social worker relationship are critical components in intersectional and post-colonial approaches (Bundy-Fazioli, et al., 2013). The distribution of power between the social worker and client can take two forms. Power over or hierarchal power works from the belief that the social worker can create the necessary change for a client. Power with or shared power approaches align much more closely with intersectional and post-colonial and emphasize a more balanced approach in which the social worker is a partner with the client and seeks to empower (or give power to) the client.

Many theories of power that focus on the victims of power result in ways of working that place the social worker in the role of being the rescuer of client who seems otherwise helpless, passive, or powerless. Critics of these theoretical assumptions suggest that such a view can create for a power imbalance between the client and social worker in which the social worker can easily become paternalistic

While a great deal of social work theory and practice has emphasized the dynamics of structural and systemic power and have looked at strategies for helping clients to gain power over their circumstances, there has been much less emphasis on the power dynamics between social workers and their clients. Furthermore, few theoretical or practice frameworks have looked at specific ways that social workers to approach issues of shared power in conversations and interventions with clients (Tew, 2006).

Putting Intersectionality and post-colonial ideas into practice

Multiple Struggles and Multiple Intersections

An intersectional approach recognizes that for many clients of color they are navigating multiple forms of systematic Injustice. For instance, a black youth who is navigating the child welfare system might be vulnerable to stereotypes and disparities based upon his race, however, a black youth in foster care who is gay might experience additional forms of oppression or injustice.

Intersectional practice moves beyond just addressing the multiple forms of discrimination and recognizes that these different forms of discrimination may intersect with one another causing further marginalization.

Voice

Intersectional and post-colonial frameworks recognize that the voices of those who are most impacted by oppression and discrimination are often excluded from conversations about change. Social workers committed to intersectional and post-colonial practice seek to amplify the voices of those on the margins and provide a platform for them to share their stories, experiences, expertise, and ideas for change. For instance, a social worker who is working with LGBTQ youth in the foster care system might seek out ways to get youth to share their stories with stakeholders who are seeking system change.

Collaboration and Collegiality

Given the power dynamics between a social worker and their clients, especially those clients who have been placed on the margins, social workers strive to collaborate with the clients to seek out change that is sustainable. By intentionally working in collaboration, social workers can create opportunities to empower clients by providing them with a level of power that is often removed from their situations.

Community

Community is often a critical value for many Americans whose identities have placed them on the margins. Intersectional and post-colonial social work recognize that all members of a community should be treated with dignity and worth and efforts to assist clients will often involve members of their communities.

Summary

Intersectional and post-colonial perspectives in social work acknowledge the complexity of human experiences, instead of focusing on issues or race, class, gender, and other identities in isolation of one another.

Bother perspectives place a strong emphasis on the reality that many clients will experience multiple forms of oppression and those experiences often intersect with one another. Efforts to engage a practice that his intersectional and post-colonial should recognize these intersections, as well as seek to amplify the voice of those on the margins who are most effected by systems, structures and institutions that they navigate.