In person icon Studying Activism and Advocacy Intersectionally: Advancing Research Methodologies for Inclusive Participatory and Deliberative Democracy

Abstract

In light of the growing academic attention to intersectional activism and advocacy, this panel explores how intersectionality can inform research design and methodologies, with a focus on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (PDD) processes. While intersectionality is increasingly recognized as a critical framework for activism and advocacy, its application in co-creation, and participatory research methods within democratic innovations remains underexplored. This panel addresses this gap by examining how intersectional methodologies can capture the nuanced ways activists and advocates engage with, influence, and reshape institutional PDD processes to address structural inequalities and foster inclusive democratic engagement. Aligning with the 2025 ECPR General Conference’s Gender and Politics Section, this panel emphasizes the importance of intersectionally informed research practices that bridge activism and advocacy with participatory and deliberative democracy. By highlighting conceptual and empirical approaches, we explore how co-creative and participatory methods can illuminate the strategies, lived experiences, and challenges faced by intersectional activists. These approaches not only contribute to more inclusive research but also ensure that democratic innovations better reflect the diversity of participants and their contexts. Ultimately, this panel aims to contribute to discussions about how research can inform and support the evolution of democratic systems to address inequalities, promote representation, and restore trust through intersectionally grounded methodologies. Contributions to this panel explore intersectionality in research design and methodologies through the study of advocacy and activism in/through participatory and deliberative democratic processes: • How arts-based and creative methods are employed as various forms of resistance, and to advance social justice aims? • How can the emancipation of disempowered groups confronting multiple barriers reshape participatory deliberative experiments and redefine the role of creators as intersectional game changers through advocacy and activism? • How can intersectionally inclusive, resilient, and embedded participatory spaces be co-produced to address the exclusion of migrant women in local government decision-making? • How can a participatory approach to Q-set development foster ownership, inclusivity, and provide a framework for intersectional research on activism and advocacy? The panel aims to contribute to ongoing discussions on the role of intersectionality as both a framework and a methodological tool for bridging activism and advocacy with participatory and deliberative democracy. By showcasing conceptual and empirical approaches, the panel explores how co-creative and participatory research practices can illuminate the strategies, lived experiences, and challenges faced by intersectional activists. These approaches not only advance more inclusive research but also demonstrate how democratic innovations can better reflect the diverse needs and contexts of marginalised communities. Ultimately, this panel seeks to contribute to discussions about how intersectionally informed methodologies can support the evolution of democratic systems, mitigate exclusion, promote representation, and restore trust.

Title	Details
The Promise of Arts-Based and Creative Participatory Models in Fostering Intersectional Equity	View Paper Details
Creativity in Participatory Deliberative Experiments: Breaking the Gridlock Through Intersectional Activism?	View Paper Details
Addressing Intersectional Inequalities in Local Governance: Creative Approaches to Coproducing Participatory Assemblages with Migrant Women in Kildare, Ireland	View Paper Details
Fostering Intersectionality Through Research Design: A Co-Creative Q-Method Approach	View Paper Details