Diversity
Dynamics
Article by Derek Hendrikz © 2003
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© 2003 CFT Hendrikz All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing of the copyright holder. |
Diversity training and sensitising seems to be big business in the field of HR today. But how deep do most of these programs go, and what effect do they actually have in the long run. I have been part of many such programs, and often felt that participants leave without any understanding of the real dynamics that govern the field of human diversity. In my work with groups during the past years I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two very distinctive processes impacting on the dynamics of diversity namely ‘identity forming’ and ‘discrimination’. Both processes are natural and sub-conscious. This implies that they will take place, except if there is a conscious intervention to do otherwise. The last assumption is based on the human need to control resources in order to survive. Lets have a close look at the two processes:
Identity
forming:
Identity forming starts with the need to survive. Resources in any area are
limited. It is also not easily come by, often not without confronting danger.
This was especially true for the cave man. It was beneficial for people to
group with one another. By forming such groups it became easier to confront
danger and obtain resources like food. Anxiety of not being able to survive
individually has thus moved people to form collective identities. This is
as true of modern society as it were for ancient groups. In South Africa today
we see more and more multiracial consultancy groups forming. The black and
white consultation group has become a familiar sight in the world of organizational
consultation (observation is South African based). This is again a manifestation
of people forming collective identities for the purpose of survival, a strategy
to obtain resources. Very often the forming of collective identity brings
about another form of anxiety, the fear of the group breaking up. The group
becomes a container of safety, and strategy to survive and obtain resources.
As an individual, one might be expelled from the group. The group can also
be absorbed or controlled by other groups. This anxiety needs to be contained
and thus symbols and rituals are created. This satisfies the feeling of one-ness
and belonging. Once symbols and rituals are established, culture is born.
Culture being the glue that bonds collective identity. Culture can be seen
as the result of a collective human evolution process. Culture also serves
another very important purpose, and that is to contain the anxiety that an
ever changing and evolving world brings about. Culture helps to create the
illusion of stability, that things are not changing and that the group is
safe and secure. The word ‘illusion’ is used since change is not
only a reality, but also inevitable. Yet culture has been the most powerful
weapon of many strong nations. With this the implication that groups need
the illusion of stability to survive, both psychologically and physically.
One can see that two of the strongest dynamics in the identity forming process
is survival and anxiety.
Survival - Anxiety - Identity - Symbols/Rituals - Culture
Discrimination:
This diversity process naturally follows the identity forming process. For
one group to discriminate against another usually has a lot to do with power.
As mentioned earlier, resources are limited. This makes each established group
a threat to any other established group, since no group can survive without
consuming a portion of these limited resources.
The first step in the process of discrimination is one of categorization.
This starts, firstly by the group establishing its own culture, and then differentiating
all other groups, e.g. the Zulus, Xhosas, Afrikaners, etc. There are a number
of categorizations that relates to diversity, e.g. men and women; heterosexuals,
bisexuals and homosexuals; white, black and asian; etc.
The second step in the process of discrimination is to start making assumptions
of other groups. These assumptions are usually motivated by the groups own
anxieties, e.g. Afrikaners are racists, if we locate racism in Afrikaners
then we do not need to deal with our own issues of racism; or Zulus are violent,
now we can perceive ourselves as peaceful.
The third step on the road to discrimination is one of stereotyping. This
is when our collective assumptions become part of our believe system. We don’t
assume that women are bad drivers, we know they are; or black people are not
intelligent. Stereotyping is usually an oversimplified and one-sided view,
very often subconsciously used to protect a group’s fantasy of superiority.
Categorization usually becomes a stereotype when we start adding labels of
‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘stronger’ or ‘weaker’,
‘more’ or ‘less’ to a category. The process of discrimination,
thus far explained, is quite strongly related to the dynamic of splitting
and projection. This is the process of taking a part inside oneself, that
one does not want to acknowledge or own up, and then locating it somewhere
else. Once a group has split of in parts they can start working with the evil
group, or the non-cooperative department down the hallway. This brings about
the fantasy that our group represents something good and the other group represents
something evil.
The fourth step to discrimination is prejudice. Here we manufacture theories
of ‘dealing’ with ‘the other’ group. Examples are
where white people start discussing methods of controlling the black people,
before they get out of hand; or where black people start making suggestions
that the farms of white farmers should be taken away because the power of
having land is dangerous. Prejudice is usually rooted in an inflexible generalization
or on unsubstantiated data.
Discrimination is the last step. This is where we put our prejudice into action.
Examples are, females not allowed being part of certain groups or holding
certain positions; or specific race groups deprived from specific privileges.
Mostly discrimination has to do with staying in power, and the anxiety of
not being in control of recourses. There is also another very important purpose
for discrimination, which is escaping from ones own dysfunctions. Here again
we refer to splitting and projection. As example we can use Hitler and his
theory on a superior race. Problem was that Hitler himself did not fit the
description of an Arian. He had brown hair, brown eyes and was timidly built.
Fact was that very few Germans actually fitted the Arian description. These
perceived impurities needed to be contained or dealt with somehow, and the
Jewish people were very conveniently used for this purpose. By putting Jews
in concentration camps where they can be tortured and punished, the Germans
could work with their own impurities. The Jewish people were also Germans,
thus the German nation has split of part of themselves, and projected their
perceived impurities onto this minority group. Now the illusion of one group
representing something good and the other group representing something evil
was firmly established. It’s important to note that the process of discrimination
is a natural one. If a group does not consciously work at not discriminating,
they eventually will. Human history is adequate proof of this statement.
Categorize - Assume - Stereotype - Prejudice - Discriminate
The purpose of this article is only to demonstrate the important influence that survival, and especially the need to discriminate in order to survive, has when dealing with issues of diversity. The above two processes does not in anyway degenerate other very important influences on human diversity such as values, beliefs and principles. But that is a topic for another article.
| Copyright
© 2003 CFT Hendrikz All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing of the copyright holder. |
Other
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The
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six poisons of Public Service / Managing
Diversity
Secrets of Service Excellence
in the Public Service / Outcomes-based
Team Development
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