Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
10:11
Cell Co-culture Patterning Using Aqueous Two-phase Systems
Published on: March 26, 2013
19.6K
Complicating Counterspaces: Intersectionality and the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
Elizabeth A McConnell1, Nathan R Todd2, Charlynn Odahl-Ruan3
1Department of Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA. emcconne@depaul.edu.
American Journal of Community Psychology
|May 25, 2016
Summary
An intersectional analysis is crucial for understanding how counterspaces, settings promoting well-being for marginalized groups, function effectively. Examining identity intersections reveals complex experiences and opportunities for dialogue within these spaces.
Area of Science:
- Community Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Intersectionality Studies
Background:
- The counterspaces framework posits that specific settings foster well-being and resistance for marginalized groups.
- Community psychology has a history of exploring how environments impact well-being and address oppression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the necessity of an intersectional analysis in understanding counterspaces.
- To explore how intersectionality influences the processes within counterspaces.
- To examine the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (Michfest) as a case study.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative research integrating 20 in-person interviews and 23 online survey responses.
- Ethnographic field notes were collected to provide contextual data.
- An intersectional lens was applied to analyze identity dynamics within the setting.
Main Results:
- Michfest exhibited a distinct intersection of identities at the setting level.
- Intersectional diversity created varied individual experiences within the festival.
- Identities facilitated dialogue and change, leading to the emergence of 'counterspaces within counterspaces.'
Conclusions:
- An intersectional approach is vital for comprehending the efficacy of counterspaces.
- The study highlights the need to consider intersectionality when conceptualizing settings in community psychology.
- Findings underscore the complex interplay between individual identities and group settings.
