Diversity & Inclusion Frameworks & Theories Flashcards

Critical Race Theory (CRT) primarily examines:

Answer: How race and racism are embedded in legal systems, policies, and societal structures

CRT holds that racism is not merely individual prejudice but is systemic and embedded in laws, policies, and institutions, producing differential outcomes across racial groups.

The concept of 'stereotype threat,' as researched by Claude Steele, describes:

Answer: The performance-impairing anxiety individuals experience when at risk of confirming a negative group stereotype

Stereotype threat is the situational predicament in which individuals feel at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about their group, which can impair cognitive performance and well-being.

In the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory), the 'Minimization' orientation is characterized by:

Answer: Emphasizing human commonality in ways that can obscure significant cultural differences

Minimization involves highlighting human similarities and universal values but often functions to ignore the real impact of cultural differences, typically reflecting unexamined privilege.

Which of the following best defines 'structural racism'?

Answer: Cumulative and compounding effects of policies and practices across institutions that disadvantage racial minorities

Structural racism refers to the totality of ways in which societies foster racial discrimination through mutually reinforcing inequitable systems (housing, education, employment, etc.) that advantage white people and disadvantage people of color.

The 'Four Layers of Diversity' model by Gardenswartz and Rowe identifies which as the innermost (core) layer?

Answer: Personality

In the Four Layers of Diversity model, personality sits at the innermost core, surrounded by internal (primary) dimensions, external (secondary) dimensions, and organizational dimensions.

A 'diversity audit' is most accurately described as:

Answer: A systematic assessment of an organization's workforce composition, policies, and climate related to diversity and inclusion

A diversity audit is a comprehensive, data-driven examination of an organization's diversity-related metrics, policies, practices, and culture to identify gaps and inform strategy.

The term 'tokenism' in D&I contexts refers to:

Answer: The practice of making symbolic gestures toward diversity without meaningful inclusion or systemic change

Tokenism occurs when organizations include a small number of people from underrepresented groups as a performative gesture, without addressing underlying power structures or genuinely integrating them.