Intersectional Consciousness in Studies of Violence: Feminist Psychological Perspectives

Violence has been a major area of global focus for feminist psychologists for decades. From its earliest volumes to the present day, Feminism & Psychology continues to provide a forum for critical and feminist psychological contributions in this domain. This work has collectively drawn attention to the power relations underscoring experiences of - and responses to - violence. Simultaneously, intersectional feminist theory has drawn attention to the complexities and nuances of these power relations. This work reveals how these power relations frame what counts as violence, whose experiences of violence 'matter', and who is worthy of attention, recognition, and support. In this Virtual Special Issue, we present examples of work from the Journal's history that address violence from this perspective. While some authors explicitly name this perspective as 'intersectional', others do not. As such, we observe an 'intersectional consciousness' that runs through this collection, both implicitly and explicitly. In response, we conclude that ongoing feminist intersectional dialogue, collaboration, and imagination is needed in order to engage with the shifting complexities of power, (in)visibility, and possibility that shape understandings and enactments of violence.