Modes of organisational diversity: theories, methodologies and practices

• Applicant: Dr. Julia Gruhlich
• Subject Area: Sociological Theory
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550362483

The network addresses debates around diversity that are currently gaining momentum in different areas of society. Using the buzzword of “diversity management”, organisations have been developing various strategic measures for dealing with diversity. In academia the DFG diversity standards have spurred a heated discussion on the relationship between excellence and diversity. However, it is often unclear what measures should address which problems and what exactly should and can be achieved in different types of organisations. The academic debate on diversity is in itself characterised by a great diversity of voices. A wide range of research fields address the topic of 'diversity', such as management and organisation studies, diversity studies, gender studies, queer studies, critical race studies, and disability studies. The networks aims to strengthen the exchange between these diverse disciplinary, theoretical, and methodological perspectives. The debate on the relationship between organisation and diversity has so far been dominated by Anglo-American research, while the contribution of German research has so far fallen short of its potential due to the lack of exchange between general organizational studies and diversity research in other disciplines in Germany. The research network "Modes of Organisational Diversity: Theory, Methodologies and Practices" aims to systematise and further develop disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on diversity and organisation as well as the exchange between social science and organisational studies perspectives on diversity. By doing so, the network aims to strengthen the German contribution to international debates on diversity and organisations and to develop diversity-sensitive organisational research further.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Andrea Dorothea Bührmann