Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, Vol 44(4), Nov 2024, 240-254; doi:10.1037/teo0000248
The present article contrasts the intersectionality framework, prevalent in the U.S. today, with that of Marxism–Leninism, all within their historical context. Several points of commonality are noted and included: the occurrence of overlapping forms of oppression; intersecting oppressions must be viewed in their totality and interconnection; fighting oppression requires working class unity; and oppressive attitudes among working class individuals must be eradicated. However, intersectionality and Marxism–Leninism are neither fundamentally compatible nor reconcilable. These irreconcilable differences between intersectionality and Marxism–Leninism include an idealist versus materialist philosophical orientation; focus on lived individual experiences of oppression versus a U.S. class analysis; exclusively targeting racist/sexist/heterosexist individual belief systems versus targeting capitalism (or the principal contradiction of labor vs. capital); targeting perceived beneficiaries of oppression and privilege versus building working class unity; and reforming capitalism versus fighting for socialism. The article concludes with a call for intersectionalists and Marxist–Leninists to learn from each other’s conceptual framework in order to work productively together to build an antiracist/sexist/heterosexist, socialist society. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)