Cultivating intersectional equality policies and practices in R&I

Abstract

This Second Working Paper of the INSPIRE Knowledge and Support Hub (KSH) 3 on Intersectionality is structured into three main sections. The first section introduces the topic of intersectional equality policies and practices. It reflects on the existing scientific literature on intersectional policies in Higher Education and Research (HE&R) organizations to argue for a more explicitly strategic-political approach to intersectionality in organizational policy-making, and proposes guiding principles for its adoption. This section is based on a presentation given by Patrizia Zanoni on 27 September 2024 at the second Knowledge Exchange Event (KKE) of the INSPIRE project in Vienna, Austria. The second section presents the outcomes of the knowledge exchange among the KKE participants. This included two breakout room sessionsthat focused on how intersectional equality practices and policies can be cultivated. As these outcomes are based on the shared knowledge and expertise of the participants, we recognize their contributions by including the names and the respective institutions of those accepted to be acknowledged. These sessions were developed and facilitated by Lorena Pajares Sánchez (Notus) and Joanna Beeckmans (University of Hasselt). The third section presents the reflections of KSH3 experts Ashlee Christoffersen (York University), Barbara De Micheli (Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini), Bruna Jaquetto Pereira (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and Irina Lungu (Technical University of Iasi). Moreover, CoP representatives have provided feedback and added their reflections, based on their work within their respective CoPs. The final version of this Second Working Paper benefited from feedback provided by representatives from each CoP, as well as their reflections based on their CoP work conducted within INSPIRE so far.