Defining Diversity in Intercollegiate Athletics: Exploring Identity Salience

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Current Research on Sport and Education

Abstract

Diversity is one of the most widely discussed topics in society, but is neither clearly defined nor well understood. In the absence of a clear definition, diversity is often framed in terms of race—a stance which may serve to silence other identities. Given the wide array of backgrounds that staff and students bring to campus, this study sought to understand how athletic department staff define diversity by allowing them to identify what identities are most salient to their understanding of the term. Findings show that while staff do consider race first and foremost, other identities are also important—a broader definition which departments should note in both policy and practice.

Author

• Laura Bernhard, Stanford University