Dialogue at the margins: Women's self-stories and the intersection of identities

Abstract

In this manuscript, we describe an organized effort to move beyond familiar identity connections, particularly those of ethnicity, class, and nation. An exchange of self-stories among African American college women and Dalit Indian women was initiated as a technique to cross-cultural boundaries. The women chosen were considered to be located at the margins of their societies. The experience of the personal dialogues provided a model for inter-group exchanges that might be used in research and educational settings to expand the awareness of women and their issues nationally and internationally. Self-storytelling was the tool for comparing and examining experiences; it is recommended as a useful technique for the development of understanding and shared empathy among women. It proved useful in considering gender, class, and ethnic identity. Major themes from the women's stories were of family support, outside dominance, emotional trauma, and strategies for self-empowerment.