The Backlash Against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs

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Introduction

There has been a growing backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in work organizations, U.S. state governments, healthcare, and educational institutions (see Abrica & Oliver Andrew, 2024; Blackstock et al., 2024; Roberson et al., 2024.) For example, a number of work organizations, such as Meta, Zoom, Snap, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot, and Wayfair, have eliminated DEI programs and DEI positions (Elias, 2023.) Furthermore, 26 states have currently proposed or already passed anti-DEI legislation designed to restrict or eliminate DEI initiatives, and 30 states have introduced bills that would restrict or eradicate DEI programs in higher education (Adams & Chiwaya, 2024.) Although all of these bills have not yet become law, some states (e.g., Florida, Texas, Utah) have passed bills that have abolished DEI programs on college campuses. Further, the backlash seems to have reached wide-ranging proportions. For instance, when a large cargo ship collided with and caused the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March of 2024, Utah state Rep. Phil Lyman argued that DEI was responsible (Bunn, 2024.) Indeed, DEI has become a scapegoat for many problems facing our society.

Despite the backlash against DEI, research shows that there are a number of benefits of diversity and inclusion for individuals and organizations (see Hebl & King, 2024; Mor Barak, 2015; Shore et al., 2011). Such research has shown positive impacts on organizational performance (e.g., productivity, return on equity and market performance; Richard, 2000), improved decision making, increased creativity, greater customer satisfaction, and increased employees’ perceptions of belonging, inclusion, engagement, and organizational culture (Roberge et al., 2010.) Furthermore, the backlash against DEI programs is alarming at this point in time given a growing diversity in the U.S. population and many other countries (e.g., European Union.). There is an increase in the number of racial and ethnic minorities, older people, individuals with cognitive, mental, and neurodiverse impairments, and individuals who want to be more authentic about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (see Argueta-Rivera et al., in press). If organizations reject the importance of diversity, they will not avail themselves of the many talents and skills that people of color and many others (e.g., women, older workers, people with disabilities) bring to the workplace. Such restricted employment of people will make it difficult for companies to fill all of their positions, and compete with organizations in the worldwide marketplace.

The primary goals of this special issue of EDI are to foster research (a) on the underlying bases for the backlash against DEI programs, (b) consider the reasons that DEI programs are perceived as ineffective, and (c) develop strategies to help enhance the diversity and inclusion of outgroup members. We prefer empirical research articles, but will also consider reviews of the existing literature, theoretical pieces, and opinion pieces that are based on empirical evidence.

Potential paper topics might include a) evidence citing the extent of the backlash, b) reasons for the backlash, including but not limited to the misperceptions of DEI programs and initiatives, reactions toward increased diversity, perceptions of threat, c) links between anti-DEI and other current beliefs and movements, d) the experiences facing those threatened by backlash, d) how targets of this backlash are responding, coping, and trying to protect themselves, and e) how individuals and organizations can be allies to this backlash.
 

List of Topic Areas

• Diversity 
• Equity 
• Inclusion 
• Backlash 
• DEI programs 
• Social justice

Guest Editors

Dianna L. Stone, 
University of New Mexico, USA, 
[email protected] 

Lynn M. Shore, 
Colorado State University, USA, 
[email protected] 

Mikki Hebl, 
Rice University, USA, 
[email protected] 
 

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here.
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see here.
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”. 
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

Key Deadlines

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 01/02/2025
Closing date for manuscripts submission: 01/04/2025