Oppression, Intersectionality and Privilege Theory

Abstract

Many people today under capitalism are faced with oppression. Some people are more oppressed than others and people are oppressed for many different reasons. Generally people face oppression on the basis of their sexuality, race, class, gender, gender identity etc. and this oppression has a real and often disabling impact on people's lives and how they interact with others, work and learn. It also has an overall impact on how society functions as a whole. In the process of coming to grips with and understanding this oppression, social theorists have come up with many different analyses. Two analyses which are often linked are `Intersectionality' and what is broadly referred to as `Privilege Theory'.

These are the two concepts which I will be dealing with in this piece and outlining whatI think Marxists might have to say on the matter.