Identifying, Activating, and Understanding Privileged Positionalities

Evaluators can better communicate and work with groups, individuals, and communities when operational definitions exist as a source of providing a shared understanding of concepts, particularly complicated dynamics within intersectionality theories. This article investigates privileged positionalities and how these identities impact evaluation work, as well as how and in what ways marginalized identities coexist with privileged layers of identity. Within this investigation, the construction and personal example of the author's “positionality wheel” allows for the identification of contextual interactions, hidden and relatively unobservable identities, and more directly observable layers. This breakdown of identity and position allows for a humanistic conversation about where these interactions fit as a part of interpersonal communication. The article also allows for reflection and mindfulness, so evaluation work can cater to a large array of experiences and communicate the strengths and limitations of interactions between privileged and marginalized identities.