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KiS baner

Vol. 69 No. 3 (2025)

Articles and essays

Integrating the Theories of Vulnerability and Intersectionality as an Opportunity for Developing Tools for Non-Stigmatizing Analysis of Processes of Exclusion

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35757/KiS.2025.69.3.3
Submitted: September 30, 2024
Published: September 29, 2025

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the concept of vulnerability as a potential tool for the multidimensional analysis of social problems. The author begins by discussing the origins of scholarly reflection on vulnerability, its contemporary interpretations, and the criticisms associated with them. In response to the shortcomings of the concept, he proposes integrating it with the key premises of intersectionality theory, thereby enabling a more nuanced analysis of social problems, especially those directly related to the mental health crisis. The author then applies this theoretical framework to selected public policies designed to address these problems, pointing out their limitations and the need for better adaptation to the diverse needs of vulnerable groups. The article concludes with recommendations on using the concept of vulnerability to enhance the effectiveness of health and social policies, with particular emphasis on accounting for the complexity of social phenomena and the intersectional dimensions of vulnerability of individuals and groups.

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