Reifying Whiteness? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Implementation Efforts in Public Management

• In Event: Bridging Equity Values and Organizational Implementation: Insights from Public Management, Contracting, and Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

In recent years, scholars have emphasized the pivotal role of race in public administration and management, noting its historical significance and the contemporary impact of widely shared race-related incidents (Lopez-Littleton et al., 2018). This heightened awareness has led public organizations to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, driven by the imperative to address deep-rooted inequities across social identities in institutions.

Interdisciplinary scholarship examining the effect of DEI efforts has revealed mixed results - some beneficial, others ineffective, and some counterproductive or detrimental to equitable and inclusive outcomes (Dobbin et al., 2015). A less-explored driver for these implementation shortfalls is the pervasive influence of Whiteness in social and organizational contexts, encompassing socialization processes, power structures, laws, privileges, and experiences favoring the White racial group (Helms, 2017). We contend that DEI efforts often unfold within environments steeped in Whiteness, and that this normative backdrop hinders positive organizational change.

This theory paper examines how DEI initiatives operate within contexts historically and contemporarily influenced by Whiteness. Emphasizing that these efforts frequently emerge within a context where Whiteness is normative, we introduce a four-factor framework for how public sector DEI implementation can favor White individuals. We underscore the value of DEI within public organizations, conceptualize the relationship between Whiteness and DEI, and introduce considerations for identifying instances where DEI efforts inadvertently reinforce Whiteness, impeding sustained progress towards inclusivity.

This paper aims to move beyond the mere acknowledgment of DEI's importance, focusing on the social context's pivotal role in determining efficacy. It critically examines how Whiteness may undermine well-intentioned and sincere attempts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, offering insights that resonate with both practitioners and scholars.

Author

• Ines Jurcevic, University of Washington
  Presenting Author