Innovation Case Studies
Backlash to Diversity Programs and the Role of Intersectionality View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Stella Pinna Pintor, Raffaele Alberto Ventura
The sociological and cultural shifts sweeping today's societies are leading to profound changes in organizations. The growing demand for inclusion and equality measures is prompting companies to implement programs for more effective diversity management. Nevertheless, backlash to diversity programs is a phenomenon documented in the literature, defined as a negative reaction to changes in organizations due to the introduction of diversity and inclusion policies. Usually, these kinds of resistance to diversity come from members of the majority group, who see these programs as a threat to their status quo. However, there are other forms of resistance that involve minority groups and that have more rarely been explored in depth. Conceptual analysis of the sociological and philosophical framework that has led to the definition of diversity programs can help identify the political reasons for the backlashes, by shedding light on the factors of the economy of inclusion. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic, focusing on the various players in the “equality-diversity-inclusion industrial complex” and the constraints and incentives for implementing diversity policies. Finally, taking note of the virtuous results of the interventions aimed at enhancing inclusion, the main criticisms of inclusion policies will be analyzed in order to shed light on the nodes where resistance to their implementation is consolidated. In particular, the intersectional perspective is used to provide guidelines for the development of diversity programs to avoid the risk of essentializing identities and provide a more effective and inclusive approach.
Black Women Getting a Seat at the Table in the Video Game Industry
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tianna Miles
Intersectionality poses a number of unique challenges for Black women pursuing careers in the video games industry. We motivate further research on this group through existing literature and insights from running a research group on the group design of human-centered data science games in a collaborative university setting. We take an autoethnographic perspective on the topic, with the first and second authors grounding their findings in their own experiences as Black women in STEM and with video game development studios. We outline tangible actions toward the recruitment, development, and retention of Black women in the video games industry in the future.
The European STEP Project: Integrating EDI into STEM Disciplines View Digital Media
Innovation Case Studies Juan Pavón, Ana I. Pereira, Cinzia Leone
Over the past decades, the EU, its Member States and national funding organizations have taken steps to assist higher education and research institutions to include equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles in their research and in all their teaching and operational activities. However, despite the undoubted relevance of EDI principles, in many segments of EU societies and even in the most prestigious top universities in the world, their concrete application often lags behind. Especially in relation to academia reports and position papers that identify good practices and approaches, relevant to support institutional growth and capacity building towards a more inclusive academia. Inclusion is known to be a strategic issue for the higher education sector, as it impacts institutional culture, research and learning and teaching. Therefore, HEIs must learn to be more open and inclusive and find new ways to enable people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to participate and progress in their employment or training careers without discrimination. Moreover, diversity is a proven condition for excellence, and fairness in competition attracts talent at all levels: on the contrary, non-diverse research environments are less creative and produce fewer and worse results. The STEP project addresses the development of the research profile in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through cross-fertilization with the Social Sciences and Humanities, in particular by introducing into the STEM fields the principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), which have considerable potential to solve global challenges of well-being and quality of life.
JustBE - a Holistic Framework for Intersectional Justice, Belonging and Equity View Digital Media
Innovation Case Studies Marissa Coleman, Uma Parameswaran Dorn
Fluent application of psychological theory and cultural identity development to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work utilizes a holistic approach to foster a sense of belonging within organizations. Our goal is to open narratives to identify cultural ruptures while simultaneously developing skills to offer routes to undo collective harm within communities and organizations. We find this justice, belonging and equity (JustBE) framework successful in dismantling root causes of systemic dysfunctions which are often intractable and embedded in networks. Justice has long escaped many of the communities we inhabit and our focus on intersectional justice encompasses the complexities of identities and the impact of historical context and power. In this workshop, we will present the JustBE framework that uses a tailored approach to help evolve organizational culture to meet DEI needs for sustainable change. Our framework uses cognitive, affective, relational, and somatic dimensions viewing them through an intersectional justice lens to deepen conversations by exploring identities and fostering a culture of belonging. We will provide specific strategies to help organizations engage in difficult, but dynamic conversations that foster psychological safety to increase belonging. Furthermore, we will offer ways to challenge power imbalances and systemic inequities by embedding DEI principles across all levels of the organization. We will discuss the opportunities and challenges of using the JustBE framework from our own lived experiences of working with organizations as internal DEI leaders, clinical psychologists, and external DEI consultants.
