Diversity studies

Abstract

Diversity Studies refers to a broad variety of studies that takes diversity – incl. cultural, religious, ethnic, linguistic, gender, sexuality, ability, age, and class – as one of its central focuses, and looks into the effects of one or several types of such diversity to a variety of social, political, economic, etc. phenomena. This entry discusses some of the background questions and normative theories within studies of diversity. It focuses on four themes: (1) What is diversity; (2) What, if anything, is valuable of diversity; (3) How to achieve diversity, and; (4) Why diversity, or some means of achieving it, may not always be desirable.