Dr. Ashlee Christoffersen, University of Edinburgh, UK

Researchers, policymakers and practitioners have long struggled with how to apply the Black feminist theory of intersectionality, because intersectionally marginalised people (e.g. Black women and women of colour) have been largely excluded from these spaces, so the resulting hegemonic approach to inequalities has been to ad-dress these separately – in both legislative and policy intervention terms. In Europe, campaigns for legislation offering protection against identity-based discrimination have tended to be led by the more powerful among marginalised groups (e.g. white women) – and the results have reflected their experiences and interests. The dominance of the gender lens on inequalities is also reflected in the international arena. While the term ‘intesectionality’ is commonly appropriated by white feminists, the first, and most difficult, step to operationalising intersectionality is to unseat the dominance of a unitary gender lens – or any other hierarchy – for understanding social inequalities. In an intersectional approach, relevant entry points and target groups are context-specific and based on the empirical evidence of where the greatest intersecting inequalities lie. Yet intersecting inequalities are reflected in research evidence: who is funded to do research, and who that research is about. There is a paucity of evidence concerning particular groups and a dearth of research and evidence concerning intersectionally marginalised groups. Applying intersectionality therefore involves identifying and rectifying these key gaps in knowledge, drawing on qualitative research and methods as equally important as quantitative data, and taking seriously the research and evidence produced by organisations led by and for marginalised groups. This lecture will consider how to understand intersectionality, and how it can be applied in research, policy and practice. Dr.Christoffersen argues that (1) addressing the needs and interests of those who are most marginal-ised, within the context of (2) cross-cutting issues affecting differently marginalised groups, is the most effective way to mitigate inequalities. This is because, if efforts benefit the most marginalised, those who are singularly disadvantaged will also be reached along the way.