Designing for equity and justice: integrating intersectionality theory into social innovation processes

Azure Cook and Laurel Steinfield

Chapter 24 in The Elgar Companion to Social Innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals, 2026, pp 491-513 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: In this chapter, we explore how integrating intersectionality into social innovation can advance inclusiveness, equity, and justice and better address the Sustainable Development Goals. We do so by explaining the heritage of intersectionality theory and its critical praxis in addressing sources of inequities and highlight its limited uptake in social innovation literature. We evidence the need for this approach by critically assessing design methodologies—design thinking, inclusive design, participatory design—and their unintended negative outcomes. To situate our proposed intersectionality-informed process, we describe key design-justice/equity methods: community-centered design justice, equity-centered design, liberatory design, and decolonizing design. Synthesizing these methods creates a reimagined process that incorporates healing and humility, guided by core principles: centering marginalized voices in co-creation with communities, fostering self-reflection, redistributing power, recognizing systemic and historical inequities, and embracing a critical praxis. We conclude by proposing guiding questions for practitioners/researchers alongside an explanation of the reimagined, intersectionality-informed approach.

Keywords: Social innovation; Intersectionality theory; Design thinking; Design justice; Decolonizing design; SDGs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035326037
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