Paradoxes of Diversity and Inclusion: From the Lab to the Social Field

Contemporary societies strive for multiculturalism and tolerance. To create conditions to reach this ideal there should be a continuum between what the social actors are prepared for in school, practices they encounter at the workplace, and the way they contribute to the wider society. This continuum should be materialized in consistent conceptualizations and practices of diversity and inclusion across educational, organizational and societal contexts. So far, research suggests that policies implemented in those settings have mixed results. This is partly because policies in different fields use distinct conceptual definitions of diversity and inclusion. Thus, important gaps exist between research and policy implementation and there is little dialogue between research in educational and organizational environments. In education, inclusive practices focus on students with special needs, broader definitions of diversity being neglected. In organizations, the emphasis is largely on diversity, inclusion being a more recent research topic and practice. Research conducted at societal level addresses the comprehensive ideologies underlying diversity and inclusion. To move forward, a dialogue that builds bridges between the various types (fundamental vs. applied) and fields of research (educational, organizational and societal) is crucial. Only then can this shared understanding be reached as well as the continuum of goals, concepts, and practices.

With a particular focus on research developed in the field of social sciences, either in lab or in real life conditions, this Research Topic should be thought of as a contribution to the dialogue between different research domains concerned with the topics of diversity and inclusion. More specifically, the aim is to gain clarity and continuity across fields in three intertwined aspects. The first one is conceptual: What do inclusion and diversity mean and what are the relations between them? Are the varying definitions of diversity and inclusion muddying the comparability of research findings? The second is empirical: What type of research is conducted relative to these two concepts and what new research is needed to advance this dialogue? The third one is more applied: Do diversity and inclusion policies aim at the same goals? Do current practices contribute to a more inclusive social climate or remain stuck in highlighting differences?

We encourage researchers to submit original brief reports, empirical studies, and policy or practice assessments that address one of the three aforementioned goals. We welcome submissions from any academic field with a preference for social science and psychological disciplines either quantitative or qualitative. We welcome here contributions from all over the world, to help shape the dialogue of diversity and inclusion between the Global North and Global South, and support theory development and policy implementation that is stemming from and is adapted to different local contexts. Particular attention should be devoted to the paradoxical relations between diversity and inclusion in a particular context.

· Diversity approaches in organizations and education
· Diversity - inclusion – continuum in different institutional contexts
· Integrative and inclusive approaches in education
· Relations between integration, inclusion and diversity ideologies (color-blindness, assimilationism and multiculturalism)
· Reactions to social inclusion in applied contexts
· Efficiency of the diversity / inclusion policies
· Advances in the methodology of research and impact of paradigms of research for findings
· Advances in conceptualizations and measurement of diversity and inclusion practice