Undermining Intersectionality

The Perils of Powerblind Feminism

Praise for the hardcover edition:

"(A) timely intervention. The author carefully and intelligibly guides the reader through discussions of the deficiencies, normative predispositions, and consequences of extant efforts to suppress Black feminist political thought."— Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy

"(Tomlinson) lays down a forceful defense of intersectionality’s contribution to knowledge and of women of color’s ownership over 'true' intersectional thought. Tomlinson meticulously analyzes popular feminist discussions about intersectionality and their discursive strategies, finding that the most vocal critics tend to neglect any meaningful engagement with intersectionality’s original texts, the racial studies literature, the history of European imperialism and slavery, or their own positionalities…. Undermining Intersectionality fastens the reins and redirects the ship." — Women's Review of Books

In this provocative book, esteemed scholar Barbara Tomlinson asserts that intersectionality—the idea that categories such as gender, race, and class create overlapping systems of oppression—is consistently misinterpreted in feminist argument. Despite becoming a central theme in feminist scholarship and activism, Tomlinson believes dominant feminism has failed to fully understand the concept.