‘Intersectionality in the Mind’: Applying an Intersectional Lens to the Study of Lay Perceptions of Inequality

Research on lay perceptions of inequality has typically examined economic, gender, and racial inequalities separately and treated social positions additively. Using migrants as a case study, this study employs an intersectional lens to investigate perceptions of inequality. Drawing on interviews and group discussions with 47 participants, the analysis shows, first, that individuals framed different inequalities as interdependent, showcasing what I term ‘intersectionality in the mind’. Second, their intersectional social positions informed how they understood broader patterns of inequality. These findings demonstrate the value of intersectional approaches in analysing the complexity of lay perceptions of inequality. This study points toward methodological and conceptual developments that can better capture both how people cognitively link inequalities and how intersecting social positions inform these perceptions.