Intersectionality and women’s advancement in the discipline and across the academy

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In this article I explore the experiences of women of color in the academy through the lens of intersectionality. I use three major lessons of intersectionality research to frame the experiences of women of color in the academy and in particular how identity matters for women of color’s experiences in fields such as political science where their numbers are quite small. Beyond offering an overview of their experiences, I follow with a critical conversation of the supports and intervention strategies necessary to have women of color not only survive to tenure but build sustainable careers. The strategies and interventions rely on a “both/and” strategy, using strategies that are common in the academy coupled with strategies that are uniquely situated for women of color. These strategies and interventions require department heads, deans, and other senior university leaders to act as allies supporting the career-sustaining decisions women of color make that may deviate from the norm. These allies are also critical partners in creating the types of workplace cultures that allow women of color to thrive in their fields.