Intersections and Translocations: New Paradigms for Thinking about Cultural Diversity and Social Identities

Abstract

This article reflects on the concepts of cultural diversity, belonging and identity which inform important debates for managing ‘difference’ in contemporary European societies. These address issues relating to transnational migration, ethnic diversity and racialisation in a range of social contexts. The article also reflects on the concept of intersectionality as a means of developing a more integrated analysis of social divisions and identities relating particularly to gender, ethnicity and class. It is clear that once we focus on the intersectionality of social divisions and identities, we can move away from essentialised notions of culture, difference and belonging. However, the complexity of social divisions and their inter-relations, both as analytical categories and as categories of practice, asks us to rethink the terms that we use for understanding both identity formations and forms of inequality. This article considers the utility of a more intersectional framing and the notion of translocational positionality in understanding the articulation of social identities.