DE&I: Between Virtue and The Appearance of Virtue, with Pr. Laure Bereni

#28 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets podcast! In this episode, Laure Bereni, Sociology Research Professor at CNRS lays out the key findings from her latest book “Management of Virtue: Corporate Diversity in New York and in Paris” (published in French). This comparative study of Diversity & Inclusion management in New York and in Paris offers a unique perspective into the work of DE&I managers.
Laure's findings demonstrate the inherent contradictions that lie at the heart of DE&I as a field of management. Trying to solve the equation between social justice and business profit, DE&I managers and practitioners are trusted with the unbearable task of smoothing and masking the contradiction between virtue and the appearance of virtue. Faced with what Laure is calling the stigma of virtue, they try to legetimize their work with the ubiquitous idea that ‘diversity means business’.

Can DE&I managers overcome this stigma or must they continue upholding these contradictions? What does the ethnic and gender identity of DE&I professionals have to do with their credibility? Will political and external pushes help DE&I managers face the inherent duality of their work?

You can continue following Laure Bereni’s insightful work on LinkedIn and purchase her book here (soon available in English).

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