Intersectionality, research-based education, and assessment: a pan-curricular threshold concept

Intersectionality, the recognition that social identity is constituted by dynamic interactions (rather than mere accumulation) of different factors, has profound implications across all domains of higher education. It is fairly straightforward to present it as a threshold concept within relevant subject areas: however since it is a lived experience, this presentation argues that it should be treated as a 'universal' one in HE. Intersectionality is matrix-like: one person's viewpoint is shaped by (eg) feminism and ethnic background, another by sexuality and class: the list is long but the intersections exponentially more so. Its multiplicity and complexity, rather than amounting to a vast checklist of 'things to consider', could instead offer possibilities for students to work in teams in research-based education 'as themselves', transforming one anothers' perspectives in the process. This presentation will draw eclectically on student-partnered projects to think through some possibilities and pitfalls of this approach