Feminist Media Studies

Abstract

Rhetorical support of intersectionality and actual production of intersectional scholarship does not necessarily result in intersectional scholarship throughout the field. Within the fields of Communications and Media Studies, the usual process of focusing on heteronormative white middle-class women—in theory and practice—has slowly began to include a broader range of theories and populations. Of particular focus, the International Communication Association (ICA) has rather recently pursued a path of diversification through internationalization. After all the “I” within ICA stands for international and not for intersectional. Following decades of taking the I for granted, in the sense that other than a few Canadians, British, and a handful of Australian members regularly attended, ICA has now seriously focused on activating the I (Valdivia, 2011). This chapter tracks the Feminist Scholarship Division (FSD) and the organization (ICA) in terms of intersectional presence and visibility. Ending on the theme of hope (Wood & Litherland, 2018), the essay identifies the moments of rupture and inclusivity also present in our field.