Strategic Essentialism

Abstract

Strategic essentialism is the use of essentialist categories of identity despite a theoretical commitment to anti‐essentialism and awareness of the political dangers. Strategic essentialism arose as a constructionist response to the need to deploy categories such as “women,” “black,” and “gay” to pursue emancipatory politics. However, proponents of strategic essentialism are also alert to the dangers of essentialisms, which can be used to oppress, divide, or dismiss subordinate groups. As a guard against these risks, it is argued that strategic essentialism should be accompanied by reflective critique of the essence being deployed. It is also argued, by Gayatri Spivak, that strategic essentialism is only a good political strategy when linked to a deconstructive politics that seeks to undo the very category it invokes. Debates over strategic essentialism are linked to those over authenticity, voice, experience, and deconstruction.