ABSTRACT
Social science research has historically focused on race, gender, or class separately. Collectively from this research we have learned a great deal about race and gender in the United States, and somewhat less about class. Nevertheless, some recent scholars have criticized the race, gender, or class approach. These theorists, mainly black female academics (Brewer 1993; Collins 1993; King 1988; Zinn and Dill 1996), have championed an approach variously referred to as intersection theory or intersectional analysis. They argue that instead of conducting research separately on race, gender, or class we should focus on the social locations created by the intersection of these three identities. Research on race, gender, or class ignores the multifaceted nature of individual experiences, capturing only part of a more complex whole.
