Pooja Malani: Sociology II answer copy

Intersectional approach to address marginalization of vulnerable sections tend to study how combination of multiple factors- class, caste, gender, race and status, etc affecting their access to resources and causing multi-dimensional social deprivation.

(Ex) - A black poor woman tends to suffer more than a black middle class and a white poor woman. Here race, class and gender are causing differentiated levels of deprivation.

Recently Draupadi Murmu - a tribal woman, is appointed as President of India which shows how intersectionality of different identities needs to be addressed.

Significance of Intersectional approach to address issues of vulnerable sections

(1) Indian society and social structure is characterised by graded inequalities. These inequalities are both of social and economic nature. often it is seen that.

lower caste is engaged in menial jobs and constitute lower class where as upper castes are often landowners. MW Srinivas has called this - twin hiearchy of caste and land. This shows need to study intersection of caste and class, efforts are needed to raise economic status of lower castes.

(2) Leela Dube explained intersection between caste and gender. She explained how lower caste women tend to get exploited even by uppercaste women along with men. Intersectional approach will help in uncovering these multiple oppressions structure.

(3) Certain benefits by state are cornered by a particular section of unprivileged section and then they become superprivileged. This shows poverty within same disadvantaged group must be higher prioritized, for instance, Andre Beteille showed prevalence of Dalit Elites who tend to exploit poor members of their community.

(4) Gopal Guru while studying feminist movements in India highlighted the fact that there is no voice of rural women and that of sex workers. Intersectional approach will help in going beyond established dimensions of equality and suggesting alternative in form of new social movements - addressing vulnerables' cause.

Limitations of such approach

(1) Due to attached social stigma, certain attributes are left untouched. (Ex) - Sexuality and discrimination based on it along with LGBTQ concerns are ignored. (2) Political mobilization based on certain identity often tend to overlook other aspects. (Ex) - Caste based associations pursue interests of strong members and poor members are left unnoticed, hence class of caste is ignored. (3) In cases of voluntary social exclusive, deprivation is caused by cultural factor rather than structural. There also effectiveness of intersectional approach is limited. (Ex) - women voluntarily leaving labour market, due to family pressure.