identity politics

noun

plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: politics in which groups of people having a particular racial, religious, ethnic, social, or cultural identity tend to promote their own specific interests or concerns without regard to the interests or concerns of any larger political group
Although the UCLA center's standards promoted rigorous history, they set off a major culture war because of their relentless emphasis on identity politics.Diane Ravitch
Identity politics is contemporary shorthand for a group's assertion that it is a meaningful group; that it differs significantly from other groups; that its members share a history of injustice and grievance; and that its psychological and political mission is to explore, act out, act on and act up its group identity.Catharine R. Stimpson
A number of critics have viewed her work through a lens of identity politics, taking her to be some sort of oracle of Muslim womanhood.Lauren Collins

Examples of identity politics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Trudeau represents the dystopian world view of the woke industrial complex that damaged all sectors of society with open borders, persistent inflation, identity politics, homelessness, pandemic policies and high taxes. Letters To The Editor, Orange County Register, 8 Jan. 2025 The Liberals need to shift their messaging away from identity politics and towards tangible actions and results. Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025 Democrats have veered into identity politics and away from the interests of the working class. The Editors, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2024 This pressure alone may eventually tilt economic policy more towards supply side changes, and also change the kinds of issues that politicians focus on such as immigration and identity politics. Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for identity politics 

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of identity politics was in 1970

Dictionary Entries Near identity politics

Cite this Entry

“Identity politics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identity%20politics. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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