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
Diane RavitchIdentity 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
Catharine R. StimpsonA 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
Lauren CollinsExamples of identity politics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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'WINNING IS EVERYTHING' – James Carville declares identity politics dead after Clinton, Harris failures.
—FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Newsom breaks with Dems on Trans athletes during Charlie Kirk interview, blasts identity politics
Niall Stanage and Stephen Kent discuss Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) interview with Charlie Kirk.
—The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025
Torres, 36, Afro-Latino and gay, is a prominent scourge of identity politics.
—David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
The intrigue: As some Democrats are pushing the party away from identity politics, Jackson is leaning in.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
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FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Newsom breaks with Dems on Trans athletes during Charlie Kirk interview, blasts identity politics
Niall Stanage and Stephen Kent discuss Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) interview with Charlie Kirk.
—The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025
Torres, 36, Afro-Latino and gay, is a prominent scourge of identity politics.
—David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
The intrigue: As some Democrats are pushing the party away from identity politics, Jackson is leaning in.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for identity politics
Cite this Entry
“Identity politics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identity%20politics. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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