Twenty-fourth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

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.