CALL FOR PAPERS > Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Organizations

Theme:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Organizations 

Conveners:
Maja Apelt, University of Potsdam
Ines Michalowski, University of Münster

The social structures of inequality and diversity are decisively shaped by organizations—such as companies, public administrations, institutions, and civil society organizations. Organizations assign status, income, and opportunities to influence political and social processes and they differ in their capacity to assign status. Within organizations, social inequality is translated into positional inequality, which is often perceived as functional. Disentangling these two forms of inequality and uncovering discrimination in organizations has long been a focus of research, initially in the study of gendered organizations, and more recently in work on racialized organizations (Ray 2019) and diversity in organizational contexts. Research on diversity management has produced contradictory findings. While organizations have always been characterized by the diversity of their staff and users, as well as by inequality between groups, diversity management typically starts from a normative premise: that diversity should be made visible and that associated forms of discrimination—based on gender, race, sexual orientation, social and ethnic origin, religious affiliation, etc.—should be eliminated. However, programs aimed at addressing these issues have shown mixed effects, as demonstrated by researchers such as Dobbin and Kalev (2016).

Recently, several large companies have begun distancing themselves from their “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” (DEI) programs. This shift is driven in part by governments altering legal frameworks and tax policies, and in part by right-wing actors who, for example, mobilize against queer literature in schools or gender quotas on supervisory boards. As a result, the conditions under which diversity, equity, and inclusion are pursued are being shaped by organizations and are simultaneously undergoing substantial transformation within organizations. Inter alia, we ask what role diversity and social inequality play in organizations, how these topics remain on —or are removed from — the organizational agenda, and how these aspects evolve over time. We invite contributions that examine the relationship between organizations and broader societal dynamics and structures underlying issues of diversity, inequality, and plurality—whether empirically, conceptually, or both. We are particularly interested in papers that demonstrate how organizational change or resistance to change can be explained using established organizational theories. To understand the relationship between social inequality, diversity, inclusion, and organizations, it is essential to engage with organizational theory and to examine and compare various types of organizations—such as private firms, public administrations, associations, schools, and the military—highlighting both their similarities and differences. This includes analyzing their specific structures and historical trajectories. Comparisons across different types of organizations and national contexts help to identify both idiosyncratic and more systematic patterns in organizational responses to diversity-related claims. Finally, we call for papers that critically evaluate pro-diversity measures and address methodological questions, such as identifying valid indicators for assessing the success of diversity initiatives.

Submission Deadline: November 10, 2025

Abstract submission HERE