Technology and Intersectionality

Karan

How can we leverage current or emerging technology to better integrate intersectional data within current collection methods? What intersectional data would you prioritize?

shihei

Definitely gender, age, and ethnicity to begin with...the list is long and the selection will depend on the domain, kind of technology and applicability, but we sure need to do a better job in diversifying our research and data for more equitable solutions.

Shashi

Thanks @shihei for sharing your thoughts.

Shashi

@aylin, @fabienaccominotti, @ninarehm, @mustafanaseem, @zijwang, @rosiecampbell, you may have thoughts on this discussion. Please let us know what you think! Thanks.

Andrea

In 2019, I published Inclusion, Intention, and Investment A Playbook for Retaining Women Working in Tech. Throughout the Playbook, we prioritized an intersectional approach because it is so essential to understanding topics related to women's experiences and opportunities. I think many organizations are reluctant to collect intersectional data because they do not know how to ask the right questions and interpret the data once it is received. Technology can help to create customizable platforms where questions can be easily adjusted within an intersectional framework to fit the context. On the data analysis side, technology can be used to develop prompt questions to make sure that the data analysis looks at multiple intersections of power and privilege. https://www.feminuity.org/resources-press

Karan

@shihei thank you for your response! Indeed the list is long! We are thinking through the list of data that needs to be collected relative to the domain and the current technology needs. @Andrea thanks for sharing your views and material! Agreed there is definite room for improvement in capturing intersectional data at the collection stage. I'm curious about the analysis side; are there methods/technologies emerging to layer intersectional data on existing data with less intersectional information?

Andrea

@Karan That is a great question about the data analysis side layering intersectional data after the fact. I do not have any experience with this but I would be very interested to learn about this technology/process.

Shashi

@stellunak, @lorenznoe, @trigoana and @WD_Research, you all might also have insight on @Karan's question. Please let us know if you're aware of any methods/technologies emerging to layer intersectional data on existing data with less intersectional information?.Thanks.

DrLiliaGiugni

A great challenge for researchers and advocates committed to an intersectional framework comes from making sense of data from different sources, and at times obtained through rather different research designs. At GenPol, for example, in our research on gender based violence and educational prevention programmes we often found ourselves comparing data and studies looking at women, LGBTQ+ or BAME youth. While it may be inappropriate to combine or even systematically compare insights extrapolated from such different sources, it is still a useful exercise to get a broader sense of the field. Most of all, collecting data from vulnerable populations (i.e. this experiencing various forms of violence and/or discrimination) presents various complexities in terms of research ethics. This is why, while brainstorming technological solutions to help shape new intersectional methodologies, it is key to get involved researchers with a specific expertise on both the topic AND the vulnerable population involved. This is particularly relevant when preparing questionnaires aiming not only to capture intersections between various forms of privilege and oppression, but also to make sure that respondents feel safe and empowered throughout the process.

Aaron_Denham

@DrLiliaGiugni Indeed, inclusive, community-based participatory research methods in this space are key.

Shashi

@NielsRU and @staceyo - you might also have insight on this discussion. Please share your thoughts.

BayWatcher

Not sure what the end result will be other than inter-sectional typologies. Different advocacy groups will have their own cluster of interests, i.e. "privilege and oppression" meanwhile the media and other influences will define primary and secondary priorities. Subculture membership may outweigh gender and race; or do researchers assume qualities from gender and race. Today's buzz term is 'people of color' which means what exactly?

Shashi

@etrauth and @bpoggio - given your background, I feel you may be able to share your thoughts on this discussion on how technology can support better integrate intersectional data within current collection methods.
Thanks.