A change in regime: examining diversity theater and racial inequality at an education nonprofit

Abstract

ABSTRACT Diversity, equity and inclusion is one of the hottest topics in organizations of every industry. Despite the variety of diversity efforts and initiatives employed across organizations, most fall short. In this paper, I apply Thomas’ [2018. “Diversity Regimes and Racial Inequality: A Case Study of Diversity University.” Social Currents 5 (2): 140–156] Diversity Regimes framework to examine how a national education nonprofit organizes and deploys diversity work. Using ethnograph zic fieldwork and interviews, I show that the diversity regime at Education for All is centralized, which in turn leads to a more unified and shared diversity discourse. I also show there is a more complex version of staging of difference, which I call diversity theater. Applying this framework allows us to understand the different shapes diversity regimes may take depending on industry and organizational structure, which can help us better understand the underlying structures that halt racial equity.