Beyond the Trinity of Gender, Race and Class

Cindy Hanson,Amber Fletcher

doi:10.3384//rela.2000-7426.3360

Abstract

Research exploring the gendered dimensions of adult learning has blossomed in the past two decades. Despite this trend, intersectional approaches in adult learning, research, and teaching remain limited primarily to the three categories of gender, race, and class. Intersectionality theory is more diverse than this and includes discussions of social structures, geographies, and histories that serve to build richer, more nuanced descriptions of how privilege and oppression are experienced. Because the purpose of intersectionality is to understand how social identities are constructed and to challenge the structures of power that oppress particular social groups, this approach is important for feminist and social justice educators. The Canadian authors of this manuscript posit that adult learning should move beyond intersectionality that focuses only on the trinity of gender + race + class in order to consider the nuances of inequality and the true complexities of representation and collective identities. By exploring literature in feminism, adult education, and intersectionality, they illustrate a gap at the core of adult education for social justice. Finally, they use two examples to illustrate how intersectionality works in practice.

Highlights

In the field of adult education, literature exploring intersectional approaches and practices (Hanson, 2019; Keskitalo-Foley & Naskali, 2018; Merrill & Fejes, 2018) has primarily focused on categories and intersections of gender, race, and class, an intersection sometimes referred to as the trinity (Dhamoon, 2011; Monture, 2007)
Intersectional approaches are compatible with goals of social justice and equity, diversity, and inclusion as they are practiced within community-engaged adult education
Our goal is to suggest that the practice of adult education for social change—or for understanding how social structures impact and shift the lived experience of communities and learners— might be further enhanced by more attention to intersectionality

Summary

Introduction

In the field of adult education, literature exploring intersectional approaches and practices (Hanson, 2019; Keskitalo-Foley & Naskali, 2018; Merrill & Fejes, 2018) has primarily focused on categories and intersections of gender, race, and class, an intersection sometimes referred to as the trinity (Dhamoon, 2011; Monture, 2007). Recent work edited by Merrill and Fejes (2018) acknowledged that intersections of gender, race, and class are examined in more recent adult education work; these categories of representation are frequently complicated by other factors—such as age, ability, location, and sexuality—which are less frequently addressed in the literature. In spite of this gap, there is recognition that intersectionality gives voice to nuanced dimensions of privilege and oppression as they are experienced and, these dimensions are very much at the core of adult learning for social justice. The two examples cited in this manuscript may contribute to broader applications or insights into lived oppressions and power dynamics in the field of adult education

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Conclusion