Intersectionality: An Epistemological and Methodological Approach to Research

This book brings together researchers from different fields who are using intersectionality as an analytical lens to deconstruct, reflect, define, redefine, empower, (dis)empower, and critically discern the impetus of socio-cultural phenomena in everyday life. Since its initiation, intersectionality has developed into a theoretical research paradigm that aims to comprehend how different social identities interact and define societal power hierarchies. As it is concerned in its foundation with issues of power and injustice, intersectionality is a powerful theoretical framework to make visible the systems of oppression that uphold power hierarchies and organise society as a result of which many intriguing new research questions and analyses have been generated. This book uses intersectionality as a theoretical framework which posits that social identity categories, including but not limited to race, gender, class, age, religion, and sexual orientation are intricately linked, and concurrently generate experiences of privilege and marginalisation. It seeks to provide contemporary notions of intersectionality while staying true to its core values. This book also strengthens and extends the original Black Feminist perspective to include intersectional nuances in spaces outside of the United States, while also reclaiming and grounding methodological and epistemological notions in Black Feminist thought. It serves as a useful resource for administrators, scholars, academics, and practitioners in interdisciplinary fields (including STEM, education, business, and similar disciplines). Additionally, the focus of this book supports a transdisciplinary perspective that will engage members of the wider community who have an interest in intersectionality. 

Victoria Showunmi is a professor at the Institute of Education (IOE), UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society. Her interests include gender, identity, and race through the lens of intersectionality, focusing on leadership and the lived experience of Black women and girls. She develops fresh conceptual frameworks focusing on equity and social justice, especially on the interplay between people and the sophistication of behaviours which lead to disengagement with the promotion of equality. Her work shows how culture and cultural background have the potential to disrupt power structures and lead to transformational change. She has an international profile based on the dissemination of her research through publication and teaching, and was the recipient of BERA’s inaugural Academic Citizen of the Year award in 2023. 

Dr. Stephen D. Hancock is the frye distinguished professor of Urban Teacher Education and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Educational Equity Research in the College of Education at North Carolina A&T State University. In addition, he is the director of the International Conference on Urban Education, which is the only conference in the world that focuses solely on the successes and challenges in the urban contexts. As an instructor, he teaches graduate and undergraduate level courses and has also served as an international visiting lecturer in Ireland, England, Germany, and Poland. Dr. Hancock has also joined the Pan African Leadership Institute Instructor Core. He also serves on the Social Justice Action Committee at AERA, on several community organizations, and is a member of professional associations. As a researcher, Dr. Hancock’s interest includes race, identity, and well-being as it relates to access and social justice. 

Dr. Rakibe Külcür is a research fellow (Postdoctoral) at the Institute of Education (IOE), UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, contributing to the EU Horizon project INCLUDE, which promotes gender equality and inclusiveness through intersectional and intersectoral institutional change. She holds a Ph.D from Brunel University London, specialising in the intersection of environmental justice and gender, with prior studies in Public Administration at Dokuz Eylul University, Türkiye and Economics at the University of Göttingen, Germany. As Research Coordinator at the United Nations Studies Association (UNSA) Vienna, she leads research projects, manages international collaborations, and supervises students. She is also the founder and Managing Director of Sustaila Consulting, supporting organisations with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies. She brings extensive expertise in European policy, climate advocacy, and environmental governance. Her research interests include gender, social and environmental justice, and organisational research.