Caught in two worlds: A critical review of culture and gender in the leadership literature

The concept of intersectionality, the overlapping nature of social identities and systems of power, has become increasingly influential in the social sciences literature. However, the analysis of leadership experiences at the intersections of culture and gender has remained marginal to the field despite the rapid growth of diverse workplaces worldwide. This review aims to find out whether there is evidence of underrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women leaders, analyze common theoretical developments in the literature, and recommend an agenda for further research. In this study, published, peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative articles were examined. This critical appraisal identifies three evolving strands of research from the past 20 years. The majority of the manuscripts highlight the absence of CALD women in the leadership literature, describe the obstacles they face, and illustrate how they view their role and enact leadership. This paper discusses the areas central to intersectional leadership that require further examination to better understand the underrepresentation of CALD women in leadership positions.