IDENTITY POLITICS
Identity politics refers to political activity and theoretical work that aims to challenge stereotypes used to justify the exclusion, exploitation, marginalisation, oppression, or assimilation of different racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, cultural, and religious groups. The ultimate goal of identity politics is to rectify the injustices experienced by individuals from these communities and ensure that they are treated fairly and respectfully.
The term "identity politics" was coined in the late twentieth century, although it had ancestors in, for example, Mary Wollstonecraft (1759 – 1797) and Frantz Fanon (1925 – 1961). The first known written appearance of the term is found in the April 1977 statement of the Black feminist socialist group Combahee River Collective. This coincided with the rise of social movements focused on injustices against specific groups, including second-wave feminism, Black Civil Rights, the gay and lesbian liberation movement, and the American Indian movement.
Identity politics in the United States entered the political mainstream in the 1980s and 1990s as a reaction to the perceived failure of liberal civil rights legislation to eliminate identity-based inequities and injustices. Critics argued that the supposedly neutral citizen in liberal theory, in fact, embodied identities of whiteness, maleness, bourgeoisie, ability, and heterosexuality (Young, 1990; Di Stefano, 1991; Peteman and Mills, 2007).
Identity politics is different from previous similar claims in that it demands recognition based on previously denied grounds, such as being a woman, black, or lesbian, rather than seeking inclusion based on shared human attributes or respect "in spite of" differences (Kruks, 2001).
Advocates of identity politics seek to ensure that marginalised groups receive recognition and representation in various aspects of society, including politics, media, and cultural representation. They often challenge mainstream narratives and historical accounts that may ignore or downplay the experiences of marginalised groups. Identity politics is also characterised by an intersectional approach, which recognises that individuals hold multiple aspects of identity that intersect and can compound their experiences of discrimination (Crenshaw, 1989).
Critiques of identity politics come from various perspectives and encompass a range of concerns. The main criticism from the political Left is that identity politics prioritises cultural recognition over economic redistribution, neglecting the material roots of oppression. Nancy Fraser (1997) allows both recognition and redistribution to have a place in contemporary politics, but criticises the supremacy of perspectives that take injustice to inhere in "cultural" constructions of identity and omit to analyse the origins of oppression. From the Foucauldian perspective, Lois McNay (2008) argues that identity claims, which are at the heart of many contemporary social movements, are based on an oversimplified account of power.
Identity politics was also criticised for its essentialism, according to which individuals are primarily defined by their identity groups (such as race, gender, or sexual orientation). Critics also argue that a narrow focus on identity might hinder the development of solidarity across diverse groups. There is also fear that identity politics can lead to tokenism, where individuals from marginalised groups are included merely for appearances rather than meaningful contributions. Some also argue that the strong emphasis on identity politics can lead to a reactionary backlash from those who feel their identities are threatened or dismissed.
Defenders of identity politics argue that gender, sexuality, and race have always been understood through the structures of capitalism (Butler 1997; Walters 2018), and that contemporary movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter did not neglect the economic components in their analyses. (PC)