Intersectionality in Policy Making: Interplay of Gender, Race, and Class in Contemporary Governance


Authors : Durllav Borah

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 7 - July


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/3j44y7u8

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul655

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Abstract : Intersectionality has emerged as a vital framework in contemporary policy making, offering a lens through which the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination and privilege can be analyzed. This paper critically examines how the dimensions of gender, race, and class intersect in the formulation, implementation, and outcomes of public policies. Drawing upon recent case studies and legislative trends from diverse geopolitical contexts, the study explores how intersectional analysis challenges traditional one-dimensional approaches to governance. It also evaluates the effectiveness of intersectionality-informed policies in addressing structural inequalities and enhancing social justice. The research highlights both the theoretical advancements and practical constraints of embedding intersectionality in policymaking processes. Special emphasis is given to the role of data disaggregation, participatory governance, and institutional accountability in driving inclusive policy outcomes. The findings suggest that while intersectionality offers a transformative potential, its operationalization requires more than rhetorical commitment—it demands structural shifts in how problems are defined, stakeholders are engaged, and success is measured.

Keywords : Intersectionality, Policy Making, Gender Equity, Racial Justice, Social Inclusion.

References :

  1. Hancock, A.-M., & Squire, D. D. (2024). Intersectional theory in action: Policy and power across identities. Oxford University Press.
  2. Crenshaw, K. W. (2024). Reckoning with Intersectionality in Policy Discourse. Harvard Law Review, 137(3), 455–489.
  3. Taylor, K.-Y., & Gilmore, R. W. (2023). Race, Class, and the State: Intersectional Justice in the 21st Century. Public Policy Quarterly, 49(4), 509–532.
  4. Smith, L. M., & Patel, R. A. (2023). Embedding Intersectionality in Public Health Policies: A Global Perspective. Health Equity Policy Journal, 18(2), 112–134.
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  7. Yuval-Davis, N. (2022). The Politics of Belonging: Intersectionality and Policy Frames in Migration Governance. Feminist Review, 130, 65–82.
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  11. Collins, P. H. (2020). Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory. Duke University Press.
  12. Hancock, A.-M. (2020). Empirical Intersectionality: A Tale of Two Approaches. Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, 41(1), 25–49.
  13. Cho, S., Crenshaw, K. W., & McCall, L. (2019). Toward a Field of Intersectionality Studies: Theory, Applications, and Praxis. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 38(4), 785–810.
  14. Jordan-Zachery, J. S., & Alexander-Floyd, N. G. (2018). Black Women in Politics: Demanding Citizenship, Challenging Power, and Seeking Justice. SUNY Press.
  15. Hankivsky, O., & Kapilashrami, A. (2017). Beyond Sex and Gender Analysis: An Intersectionality-Informed Model for Population Health Policy and Practice. Policy Futures in Education, 15(4), 481–496.

Intersectionality has emerged as a vital framework in contemporary policy making, offering a lens through which the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination and privilege can be analyzed. This paper critically examines how the dimensions of gender, race, and class intersect in the formulation, implementation, and outcomes of public policies. Drawing upon recent case studies and legislative trends from diverse geopolitical contexts, the study explores how intersectional analysis challenges traditional one-dimensional approaches to governance. It also evaluates the effectiveness of intersectionality-informed policies in addressing structural inequalities and enhancing social justice. The research highlights both the theoretical advancements and practical constraints of embedding intersectionality in policymaking processes. Special emphasis is given to the role of data disaggregation, participatory governance, and institutional accountability in driving inclusive policy outcomes. The findings suggest that while intersectionality offers a transformative potential, its operationalization requires more than rhetorical commitment—it demands structural shifts in how problems are defined, stakeholders are engaged, and success is measured.

Keywords : Intersectionality, Policy Making, Gender Equity, Racial Justice, Social Inclusion.

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Paper Submission Last Date
31 - December - 2025

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