Making Diversity Research Matter for Social Change: New Conversations Beyond the Firm

Abstract

This paper argues that, to fulfil the ambition to foster equality and social justice, diversity research should move outside the empirical and ideational boundaries of the firm, which have historically limited our knowledge production on diversity and social change. We first look back at 30 years of diversity research, reflecting on how the main theories, concepts and models of diversity are entangled with four root images of the firm – a neutral container, an economic entity, a cultural entity and a space of inequality – which have fundamentally shaped and limited our way of thinking about forms of action to achieve social change. We then present four illustrations of diversity research that broaden our empirical and ideational horizon: the global garments value chain; the gig economy; a public library; and a dance organization. These examples show new re-conceptualizations of diversity and open up possibilities for new conversations and politics of action to make diversity research matter for social change.