The phrase "the _____ community" is commonly used in naming minority groups in the US, for example, the African American community or the Muslim community. The phrase carries some benefits in terms of voice, sentiment, solidarity and empowerment, and it is widely accepted as a respectful reference. However, I argue that its use and meaning also carry unintended negative social psychological implications for how some minority group members may view themselves within the larger society and how some non-minority group members may view persons who identify as members of minority groups. In this paper, I examine the meaning and entailments of the word "community" as a convention of naming. I argue that negative implications stem from ubiquitous discursive emphasis on in-group sameness and groupness, which are rooted in historical practices of distillation and homogenization of diverse groups and demonstrate and invite perpetuation of stereotypes and prejudices, reinforce insider/outsider divides, and detract from personhood and social integration.
Diversity and inclusion are topics about which we hear a great deal, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. These topics are not only of great interest but also of great concern as we consider the ability of the United States to improve educational opportunities for more Americans and remain competitive in the global economy. Project Include (PI) is a diversity and inclusion initiative spearheaded by a group of women in high-tech professions to support start-up companies who wish to build inclusive organizations. I conducted a qualitative content analysis of the PI Web site and found that the vision of PI suggests useful means by which tech organizations can avoid common missteps that undermine their ability to operate inclusively. I found evidence of three themes: interrogating assumptions about human resources (HR) and hiring, defining true diversity, and building diversity and inclusivity. I discuss each theme and conclude with offering a 10-question self-evaluation that tech and other organizations can use or adapt to critically evaluate HR and operational practices to better align with diversity and inclusion goals.
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