The Scientific Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

From day one in office, the Trump administration has been working to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government and beyond. The administration is not just targeting DEI programs but has challenged the very idea that “diversity” itself is a goal worth pursuing.

In fact, the scientific evidence in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion is very strong and suggests that they provide wide-ranging social benefits. As many studies show, celebrating the contributions of Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian Americans strengthens their sense of belonging and improves their performance at school and work.

For Americans of European descent, experiencing diverse workplaces, classrooms, and neighborhoods improves communication, compassion, and even health. Minority protections and inclusion strengthen democracy and expands our sense of who can be an American, which improves social cohesion.

While certainly we are all still learning the best ways to co-exist and cooperate, evidence suggests that a wholesale rejection of diversity, equity, and inclusion would do enormous harm—to people of all races and ethnicities.

Of course, attacks on DEI programs don’t just hurt people of color; they’re also affecting women, people with disabilities, lesbians and gay men, transgender folks, and more. For this particular resource page, however, we’re focusing on race and what the research shows about the benefits and challenges of racial diversity.

We hope these articles give you the tools you need to make that case in your family, school, workplace, and neighborhood, and on social media. — Jeremy Adam Smith, Editor

Click to jump to a section:

Why diversity works and prejudice hurts
How diverse workplaces succeed
Why diversity is good for kids
Why diversity is good for society

Why diversity works and prejudice hurts

• How Diversity Makes Us Smarter: Being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, diligent, and hard-working.
• Can Diversity Make You a Better Communicator?: A new study finds that people with diverse social roles show stronger brain responses to nonverbal signals from other people.
• People in More Diverse Countries Are Less Prejudiced: A new study finds that people in diverse communities feel a greater sense of commonality with others—and have greater well-being, too.
• How Anti-Latino Rhetoric Hurts All Americans: Elizabeth Page-Gould explains that the targets of prejudice aren’t the only ones harmed by it.
• Warning: Racism Is Bad for Your Health: American society would be stronger and safer if it embraced people of all ethnicities, suggest the preliminary results of an on-going study.
• How Do Stereotypes Shape Your Judgment?: A new study highlights how stereotypes limit our ability to perceive an ever-changing reality.
• How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Help White People, Too: While DEI programs may on the surface seem focused on certain groups, in fact they benefit people from all walks of life.
• Are People Kinder in Racially Diverse Neighborhoods?: According to a new study, people who live in diverse communities tend to identify with all of humanity and help others more.

• 

  Anti-Racist Resources from Greater Good

  Explore our potential to reduce prejudice in society and in ourselves.

  Learn More

How diverse workplaces succeed

• Black Workers Are Healthier in More Diverse Workplaces: A new study finds that Black workers are less likely to die from heart problems if they have more Black coworkers.
• What Makes a Workplace Diversity Program Successful?: We can take steps to help diversity initiatives be effective—and not have unintended consequences.
• Is Diversity Good for the Bottom Line?: According to a new study of professional videogaming, team diversity fuels success.
• The Four Freedoms We Want at Work: Thinking about the freedoms people have at work can help address diversity, equity, and inclusion concerns as well as employee well-being.
• How to Keep Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives Alive at Work: DEI programs are declining. Two DEI consultants explain what employees and organizations must do to reverse the trend.
• Diverse Films Make More Money at the Box Office: A new report examines the cost of getting diversity wrong in Hollywood.
• What Is Black Fatigue, and How Can We Protect Employees from It?: Here are eight tips for organizations embarking on a diversity, equity, and inclusion process.

• 

  Bridging Differences Playbook

  Learn research-based strategies to promote positive dialogue and understanding

  Read It Now

Why diversity is good for kids

• How Students Benefit from School Diversity: A complex new study strengthens the case for racially balanced schools—and uncovers additional advantages for students of all ethnicities.
• How an Ethnic Studies Class Can Help Students Graduate: A new study found that high school students who take ethnic studies are more likely to succeed in school.
• How Identity Shapes the Well-Being of Asian American Youth: Two new studies reveal the diversity of Asian American paths to health and resilience.
• How a Strong Indigenous Identity Helps Kids Thrive: Indigenous youth can find healing, strength, and well-being by engaging with their culture, traditions, and community.
• How a Strong Latino Identity Helps Kids Thrive: The values that Latino caregivers nurture in their children help them grow up to be kind and connected to others.

Why diversity is good for society

• A Short History of Black Happiness: What can African American history tell us about the cultivation of well-being?
• How Much Control Do You Have Over Your Own Happiness?: Social conditions and inequality affect well-being. So, why do we keep insisting “happiness is a choice”?
• How Inequality Keeps People from Voting: Research suggests that more economic and racial equality means more voting—and more voting means more equality.
• Would More Social Justice Make You Happier?: A new study suggests that social and economic justice in your country play a large role in your happiness.
• What Shapes Our Idea of Who Can Be American?: A new study finds that people in more diverse places have a broader view of what it is to be “American.”
• Why Is Democracy Worth Defending?: Here is the research-based case for majority rule and minority protections.
• Americans Still Have Hope for Democracy, Despite Everything: Americans remain hopeful about democracy despite fears of its demise—and are acting on that hope.