Intersectionality in good faith: Beyond normative claims and towards practical integration in energy justice research

Abstract

The concept of intersectionality is increasingly referenced in energy justice research, requiring critical reflection on the value of intersectionality theory for the energy justice framework and research agenda. Conceptually, its incorporation seems intuitive – intersectionality theory, it is argued, can better integrate, or even transcend, often westernised justice conceptualisations, including through attention to feminist, anti-racist, Indigenous, and postcolonial justice theories. Methodologically, however, integrating intersectionality into practice is less intuitive and the energy justice literature is currently lacking tangible recommendations. Indeed, the use of intersectionality is methodologically complex, requiring understanding of and attention to its core guiding principles, which must be applied appropriately in research from design to analysis and outputs in order to support its ambitious and politicised aims. This is especially true in the context of energy justice, where outputs are typically intended to inform future decision-making. In this perspective, we present the key literature to integrate intersectionality theory into energy justice research, then we highlight that there have been, so far, two different ways to integrate intersectionality: implicitly and explicitly. We then defend and support the explicit integration of intersectionality theory in energy justice work by providing recommendations to facilitate integration in research. Finally, we call for a politicised, radical research agenda informed by intersectionality theory in future academic work linked to the energy transition injustices.