Intersectionality Theory and Urban Citizenship

In Arizona, recent immigration legislation has led to additional challenges for all residents, but especially so for those caught at certain intersections of ethnicity, class, and nationality. There has been much debate over national and state-level immigration policy and what it means for the economy, state resources, and issues related to profiling. To date there has been little focus on the ramifications for local level politics and public administration. Scholars and cities have challenged traditional views of citizenship, as an increasing number of residents living in cities are non-citizens. Race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality have all been explored as concepts that can lead to the disenfranchisement of individuals. At their intersections, an especially pervasive discrimination occurs that is often overlooked in scholarship and in practice. The purpose of this paper is to apply intersectionality theory to the concept of citizenship and illustrate how living in a city as an immigrant adds a complexity to issues of social justice that go beyond other barriers to participation in communities and local government.