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
The penchant for identity politics has become passé on the left and subject to critique.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2025
This is just one example of the backsliding of America to vilify the LGBTQ community to appease a political base distracted by identity politics over substantive issues of national concern—regardless of the scientific and moral justification of such a change.
—Dr. Nikki Romanik, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
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Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2025
This is just one example of the backsliding of America to vilify the LGBTQ community to appease a political base distracted by identity politics over substantive issues of national concern—regardless of the scientific and moral justification of such a change.
—Dr. Nikki Romanik, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 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 7 Oct. 2025.
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