Intersectional and Decolonial Feminisms: Toward a Conversation

Both intersectionality and decolonial feminisms are deeply interested in the critiquing and dismantling of racist institutions, ideologies and knowledge structures.  While intersectionality is seen as a US-American theory produced by women of color and African American women in particular, decolonial feminisms are especially associated with women in the Global South.  This paper will put intersectional and decolonial feminisms into conversation with each other in order to explore their distinct trajectories, agendas, rhetorics, methodologies and travels.  It will argue that while each has made indispensable contributions to the advancement of antiracist feminisms, there has curiously been little exchange between them.  Insisting that much can be gained by putting them in conversation with each other, this paper will make an initial step toward this end.