LIST OF PANELS

Even though intersectionality is now recognized as an important research and policy paradigm for interrogating power and working towards social justice, more attention is required to understand its transformative potential in the context of public policy and specifically policy making processes. The purpose of this panel is to explore the relationship between intersectionality and public policy, discuss the methodological challenges associated with intersectionality in public policy applications, and to highlight important developments within intersectionality-type policy analysis.  For this panel, we invite proposals that explore innovative ways and means in which intersectionality is being deployed and interrogated across a variety of social, economic, health, and political issues at national and international levels. Proposals should address the following: the central research question, the approach to the study, and how the study contributes to existing literatures. Papers employing diverse methods and methodologies, such as interpretive and qualitative methodologies, that analyze the challenges and potentialities of using intersectionaity as a means of policy analysis are strongly encouraged. We also seek papers that integrate theory, policy and practice. Potential topics include but are not limited to: Education Policy Employment and labor/labour policies        Environmental policy        Globalization/Globalisation        Health Policy?        Land policy        Military, strategic and security policy        Policy across the lifecourse (child and youth development, elder care and support)?        Poverty and poverty-reduction policies/strategies?        Religion and social policy        Sexuality and social policy        Social safety net programs/programmes        Social welfare and social justice The panel is intended to facilitate ongoing dialogue for those seeking to bring an effective interpretive framework of intersectionality to policy analysis across a variety of sectors. Selected papers may be included in a special issue or edited volume.  Please submit proposals to co-chairs: Olena Hankivsky (oah@sfu.ca) and Julia Jordan-Zachery (jjordanz@providence.edu).

Intersectionality is concerned with simultaneous intersections between aspects of social difference and identity (e.g., race, gender, class) and forms of systematic oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, classism) at macro and micro levels and their varied impacts. Central theoretical tenets of intersectionality are: human lives cannot be reduced to single characteristics; human experiences cannot be accurately understood by prioritizing any one factor or constellation of factors; social categories such as race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and ability are socially constructed and dynamic; social locations are inseparable and shaped by interacting and mutually constituting social processes and power structures that are influenced by time and place. Grounded in black feminist scholarship and activism (e.g., Collins, 1990; Combahee River Collective, 1977; hooks, 1984) and formally coined in 1989, by black legal scholar Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, intersectionality has been used across a significant number of disciplines. Diverse scholars have drawn on intersectionality to challenge inequities and promote social justice, as have government policy actors, human rights activists and community organizers. Indeed, while it is easier to simplify research, policy analysis and practice by labeling people into single or separate (e.g., female, male), rather than multiple and interlocking categories (e.g., poor, female immigrant of colour), it is increasingly apparent that this way of utilizing one category is limited in its ability to accurately represent the complexity of social life (Hankivsky et al., 2012). Against this backdrop, intersectionality is now recognized as a significant research and policy paradigm for bringing about necessary shifts in how social issues and related inequities are understood and addressed.   Simutaneously, an ongoing challenge is how to operationalize intersectionality, especially in relation to policy analysis. Until very recently, strong claims were made that effective methodologies do not exist. The situation is, however, rapidly changing. Scholars are advancing conceptual clarity, precision and guidance for intersectionality applications, in both research and policy. Nevertheless, advancements in the context of public policy are in nascent stages (e.g. Lombardo, Meier and Verloo 2009; Manuel 2006; Parken and Young 2010; Hancock 2011; Hankivsky and Cormier 2011; Hankivsky, 2012; Wilson 2013; Jordan-Zachery and Wilson 2014) and there is a pressing need for knowledge development and exchange in relation to empirical work that demonstrates how intersectionality improves public policy.  The goal of the proposed panel is to bring together international scholars to consider the state of the art of intersectionality in the context of policy research and analysis. The panel will feature case study presentations and will facilitate a rich discussion and debate around the key challenges and possibilities of developing intersectionality-informed approaches across a variety of policy sectors. The intended output will be an edited collection for a special issue or academic book publication.