Beyond Identity: A Framework for the Study of Social Inequalities and Social Change

Abstract

We present a framework for the study of social inequalities and social change. This framework aims to motivate researchers to move beyond the predominant focus on isolated pairs of identity-based groups (e.g., women and men, Blacks and Whites). Introducing the concept of fundamental inequalities, we illustrate how these inequalities between individuals at the top and the bottom of a resource distribution can be used, for example, to contextualize and better understand identity-based inequalities. Regarding intersections of groups, intersectional inequalities, and intersections of changes, we untangle how inequalities can relate to each other and how changes in one inequality may affect another inequality. Relying mostly on formal considerations, we address common misconceptions, summarize implications for research on social inequalities and social change, and emphasize the potential for synergies in social change efforts.