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Intersectionality is the intersection of characteristics and social constructs that describes an individual. These specific characteristics label individuals and groups as minorities in some cases. Discrimination is a result of these inequalities that comes by being labeled and identifying with these characteristics. The goal of intersectionality is to have people address their own experiences and discriminations based on how they identify. Specifically, a few of these academic readings focus on how intersectionality is addressed in the criminal justice system as well as the discrimination that surrounds crime for certain individuals and groups. Each discrimination and oppression experiences are unique to that person and how their labels and characteristics overlap with one another.

• Bell, K. E. (2017). Prison violence and the intersectionality of race/ethnicity and gender. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law & Society, 18(1), 106-121.
• Bohrer, A. J. (2019). Marxism and intersectionality. race, gender, class and sexuality under contemporary capitalism. Transcript.
• Burgess-Proctor, A. (2006). Intersections of race, class, gender, and crime. Feminist Criminology, 1(1), 27– 47.
• Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1300.
• Dancig-Rosenberg, H., & Yosef, N. (2019). Crime victimhood and intersectionality. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 47(1), 85-116.
• Davis, A. (2015). Intersectionality and International Law: Recognizing Complex Identities on the Global Stage. Harvard Human Rights Journal, 28, 205-242.
• Paik, L. (2017). Critical Perspectives on intersectionality and criminology: Introduction. Theoretical Criminology, 21(1), 4–10.
• Potter, H. (2015). Intersectionality and Criminology: Disrupting and revolutionizing studies of crime (1st ed.). Routledge.

1. In Bell (2017), why is it important to address prison violence among women? Why is violence in prison for women different than men? Explain using intersectionality.
2. How is intersectionality addressed on a structural basis in the second reading? What issues are raised under the idea of contemporary capitalism in relation to intersectionality?
3. After reading Burgess-Proctor (2006) and Krenshaw (1991), what importance does feminist criminology play in the idea of intersectionality when it comes to crime?
4. Why do you think it is important to address so called “weaknesses”, society labels people as strengths and where does intersectionality fit into this topic after reading the fifth academic source?
5. What issues are faced when discussing international law and how can we apply intersectionality to better understand and learn from discrimination and inequality around the world?
6. How is race, class, gender and crime related to intersectionality in Paik (2017)? Explain.
7. Why should researchers and experts in the field of criminal justice integrate intersectionality into criminological theory? What are the benefits?