2015/12/10 by Liam Kofi Bright, Daniel Malinsky, Morgan Thompson · 131 citations
Mathematics · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Causal model #Causal theory of reference #Computer science #Epistemology #Formalism (music) #Gender Diversity and Inequality #Gender Politics and Representation #Gender studies #Identity (music) #Interpretation (philosophy) #Intersectionality #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Mathematics #Philosophy #Social group #Social identity theory #Social science #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1086/684173
published in Philosophy of Science 83(1), 60-81 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2015/12/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Social scientists report difficulties in drawing out testable predictions from the literature on intersectionality theory. We alleviate that difficulty by showing that some characteristic claims of the intersectionality literature can be interpreted causally. The formalism of graphical causal modeling allows claims about the causal effects of occupying intersecting identity categories to be clearly represented and submitted to empirical testing. After outlining this causal interpretation of intersectional theory, we address some concerns that have been expressed in the literature claiming that membership in demographic categories can have causal effects.