Integrating intersectionality into occupationbased research: Reflections on methodological challenges and potential

Abstract

Since its inception in the 1970s, intersectionality has been taken up across various disciplines, drawn on as a theory, framework, guiding lens, critical tool and beyond. Despite origins in Black feminism and original applications aimed at articulating the process of marginalization of Black women, intersectionality has since been acknowledged for its utility in diverse contexts. However, within occupational science and occupational therapy academic contexts specifically, intersectionality remains largely discussed in a theoretical sense with insufficient critical application of an intersectional research approach that situates diverse social markers of difference and occupations within systems of power. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to closing this gap, highlighting the challenges and potential of intersectional occupation-based research. In addition to outlining four main postulations for applying (or ‘actioning’) intersectionality in occupation-based research generated by the authors through engagement with theoretical and research texts, examples illustrating their own attempts to integrate an intersectional approach into our research are shared. Critical reflexivity on these examples points to alignments with an intersectionality approach and the understandings these enabled, as well as challenges and limitations in our applications. The potential and future directions of intersectionality within occupation-based research and practice are then discussed.