Diversity & Inclusion Frameworks & Theories Flashcards

The concept of 'covering,' as described by Kenji Yoshino, refers to:

Answer: The pressure individuals feel to downplay stigmatized identities to fit into dominant workplace norms

Yoshino's 'covering' describes how even individuals whose identity is known may be pressured to tone down their differences—such as appearance, affiliation, or advocacy—to assimilate into mainstream culture.

In the context of DEI measurement, a 'belonging index' is primarily designed to measure:

Answer: The degree to which employees feel accepted, valued, and connected within the organization

A belonging index measures employees' subjective sense of being valued, accepted, and connected, capturing the 'B' in DEIB frameworks that goes beyond representation metrics.

Which of the following best describes the 'cultural humility' approach compared to 'cultural competence'?

Answer: Cultural humility emphasizes lifelong learning and self-reflection, whereas cultural competence implies a fixed end-state of knowledge

Cultural humility, proposed by Tervalon and Murray-García, critiques the idea of 'achieving' competence and instead promotes ongoing self-reflection, learning, and power-sharing as a continuous practice.

The 'Spectrum of Allyship' model suggests that allyship exists on a continuum from which starting point?

Answer: Apathy or complicity to active co-conspiratorship

The Spectrum of Allyship identifies that individuals may begin as apathetic or even complicit in harm and progress through stages toward active, sustained co-conspiratorship and advocacy.

Judith Butler's concept of 'performativity,' as applied to D&I frameworks, primarily asserts that:

Answer: Gender and other social identities are not fixed essences but are constituted through repeated acts and social norms

Butler's performativity theory holds that gender (and by extension other identities) is not an inherent trait but is produced and reinforced through repeated, socially regulated performances and norms.

The 'Equity vs. Equality' distinction in D&I frameworks is most accurately illustrated by which scenario?

Answer: Offering different levels of support to individuals based on their specific needs to achieve comparable outcomes

Equity recognizes that individuals have different starting points and needs, so providing differentiated support (rather than identical resources) is necessary to achieve fair outcomes.

In D&I frameworks, 'meritocracy myth' refers to the belief that:

Answer: Systems presented as purely merit-based actually embed structural advantages and disadvantages tied to social identity

The meritocracy myth critiques the assumption that outcomes are purely determined by individual talent and effort, ignoring the structural inequities and implicit biases that shape who gets recognized and rewarded.