Strategic and Policy Responses to Intersectionality in Higher Education

This paper analyses the extent to which intersectionality is considered in university strategic approaches to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and how intersectionality is expressed within strategic plans. Intersectionality is a framework for understanding compounding experiences of those who identify with multiple diversity areas and how these factors interact to create an experience specific to this combination. Through a survey of publicly available diversity and inclusion action plans at Australian universities, this paper maps the extent of both intersectionality awareness and enactment. This paper shows that while there were mentions of intersectionality, these were often limited to aspirational statements and acknowledgements rather than meaningful enactment. This demonstrates a desire by universities to respond to intersectionality in education, but either a lack of action or understanding of how to act for positive impact. This paper provides considerations and recommendations for Australian universities to meaningfully include intersectionality in their strategies and action plans.