Critical Diversity

Critical Diversity: The New Case for Inclusion and Equal Opportunity bridges the gap between diversity research and practice. It brings the best of social science research to bear on topics that matter to practitioners who are trying tomanage diversity within their organizations more effectively and profitably. This book offers a hardheaded examination of the relationship between workforce composition and the business case for diversity. After documenting that diversity pays, Critical Diversity shows why many diversity initiatives still remainunpopular among some groups. But it does not stop there. It also offers real lifesolutions to the political problems and angst that arise from implementing diversity initiatives. It examines the various sources of support for and opposition to diversity and equal opportunity initiatives. In particular, it answers questions about why increasing proportions of the population say that they favor diversity but appear tooppose the means and goals to achieving it.Critical Diversity identifies the tangible recruitment and retention strategiesthat organizations should employ (or avoid) to foster inclusive climates. It tackles the hard issues surrounding racial and ethnic diversity, gender diversity, continuing discrimination in the workplace, the link between wealth and class diversity,homophobia and heterosexism in organizations, the diversity climate on college campuses, and various sources of opposition to diversity and equal opportunity initiatives. It offers insight into emerging controversies surrounding religion, generational differences, and bias against the disabled. It also provides non-technical guidance on measuring the return on investment (ROI) in diversity, especially in times of economic uncertainty.Critical Diversity demonstrates that not all types of diversity are created equal. It argues that we must do more than embrace diversity because it is profitable.We must also cherish diversity because its true power will be unleashed when inclusion becomes the catalyst and incubator for innovation. This book offers a compelling case for critical diversity as the ultimate rationale for inclusion.