From Legislative Mandates to Student Demands: Institutionalising Intersectionality in Spanish Universities

Abstract

Spain has undergone a significant normative shift; new laws on equality, coexistence, and university governance have expanded institutional responsibilities for promoting inclusion and preventing discrimination. This development reflects broader changes in the composition of the Spanish higher education student population and highlights the need for a more comprehensive, intersectional approach to inclusion, moving beyond the traditional focus on disability. This article examines how institutional frameworks and student agency interact to drive organisational change in higher education. Drawing on a qualitative case study at a Catalan university, the research combines (a) policy analysis, (b) eight participatory workshops on inequality and inclusion with over 150 students, and (c) an analysis of the first year of operation of the university’s Equality and Diversity Unit, which includes a review of the types of requests and cases managed and semi‐structured interviews with staff responsible for implementing student support plans and coordinating inclusion efforts. The study examines the interaction between top‐down policy frameworks and bottom‐up initiatives in shaping institutional understandings and practices of inclusion. Findings point to persistent tensions between regulatory commitments and everyday university life, revealing how inclusion policies are interpreted, negotiated, and enacted across different organisational levels. This article advances current debates on the institutionalisation of intersectionality and identifies emergent forms of collective agency within increasingly complex university ecosystems.