Intersectionality and its discontents: On alliance,privilege and power

Abstract

Although the spread of intersectionality is inherently positive, several thinkers have highlighted problems associated with its popularity, which can lead to forms of co-optation and/or appropriation by white feminisms, both within and outside academia. These critiques have resonated among certain Western feminists who face a complex situation. On the one hand, intersectionality has broadened the analytical horizons of feminism, revealing the limitations of the ‘starting-from-self’ approach in favour of a more systemic analysis of oppression. On the other hand, Black and decolonial thinkers have exposed the ventriloquist dynamics often at work in Western feminism. This article examines this tension, seeking to address questions such as: How can a balance be struck between violent universalism and the personalism of struggles? What research methodologies could enable the recognition of sociocultural differences while fostering the creation of a common ground for defining a collective political subject? Drawing on feminist and decolonial perspectives, this article addresses one of the central aporias of contemporary feminism, aiming to contribute to feminist theory and practice by offering conceptual and methodological tools that deepen the understanding of power relations within feminisms themselves. In order to do that, the article begins by critically examining recurring concepts in mainstream feminism such as privilege and alliance, and it secondly identifies two trajectories that may support the development of a more grounded intersectional research model: decolonising the concept of alliance and glitching academia through feminist solidarity.