21896 Diversity and Inclusion
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject critically examines the role of diversity and inclusion in contemporary organisations. Demographic changes in the workforce as well as a shifting social landscape have been drivers to reconsider the ways in which managerial practices affect multiple stakeholders. This subject provides students with the tools necessary to deconstruct issues of diversity and inclusion and critically examine intersectional power structures including gender, sexuality, race, class, and dis/ability at work and beyond.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Analyse the interrelations between identity, organisations, and systems of power |
|---|---|
| 2. | Critique mainstream theories and practices of diversity management |
| 3. | Reframe conventional human resource management approaches to meet inclusionary principles |
| 4. | Create theoretically informed plans to develop inclusive organisations and societies |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
By engaging with the subject activities, students will develop a broad understanding of mainstream and alternate diversity management theories and practices; hone their critical thinking skills to analyse the role of power in diversity management; and demonstrate ethical and moral values in engaging with social diversity and difference.
This subject will develop students’ competencies in relation to the following Faculty Graduate Attributes:
- Communication and collaboration
- Social responsibility and cultural awareness
This subject also contributes specifically to develop the following Program Learning Objective(s) for the Master of Human Resource Management courses:
- Evaluate and apply principles of law, ethics, sustainability, Indigenous values and workplace pluralism as human resource managers (3.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject draws on critical pedagogical principles and comprises a number of teaching and learning strategies intended to promote analytical, reflexive and critical thinking as well as collaboration and communication skills. The strategies have been designed to promote independent learning and facilitate students’ development as lifelong learners. Students will gain foundational knowledge via the lectures, tutorials and online activities and apply this knowledge and develop their skills via assessments and self-directed research.
Preparation before class: Students are expected to have read and reflected on the required readings and/or short videos before class each week to make the most of the class activities and discussions. Students are encouraged to keep reflective records of their learning by noting what they have learnt and what remains unclear. This record enables students to better contribute their knowledge to class activities and discussions, while guiding them on the areas that require further reading, research and guidance from academics.
During class: In-class content is designed to build on your preparatory readings before class; extending or even problematising mainstream theories and practices with critical contemporary evidence. Face-to-face classes will incorporate active and collaborative learning strategies including a variety of group activities.
After class: Quizzes will test knowledge from lectures and readings. The quizzes along with interactive sessions in class will offer formative feedback and provide opportunities for students to check their progress on the subject objectives with lecturers/tutors.
Online activities: In certain topics, students will complete an online activity in lieu of face-to-face classes. This will typically include videos and/or readings followed by a quiz or writing task. Please review the Canvas site carefully to ensure you complete the online activities.
Content (topics)
- History of diversity and its management in organisations
- Philosophical and political underpinnings of diversity and inclusion
- Problematising inclusion (and exclusion)
- Mainstream diversity studies and critical diversity studies
- Intersectionality within identities and interlocking systems of power
- Diversity and inclusion principles in social justice movements
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Multiple Choice Quizzes (Individual)*
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% |
| Criteria: |
*Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero. |
Assessment task 2: Reflexive Practice Journal (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | Minimum 150 words for each journal entry, maximum 250 words. |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 3: Reflexive Practice Project (Group Presentation 30% and Individual written analysis 30%)*
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 60% |
| Length: | 500-word assignment and 15 min group presentation. |
| Criteria: |
*Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero. |
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks
Required texts
A collection of contemporary articles, book sections and videos will be used in place of a textbook for this subject.
References
Biddle, Nicholas, Monica Howlett, Boyd Hunter, and Yin Paradies. "Labour Market and Other Discrimination Facing Indigenous Australian." Australian Journal of Labour Economics 16, no. 1 (2013): 91-113.
ColicPeisker, Val, and Farida Tilbury. "Integration into the Australian Labour Market: The Experience of Three “Visibly Different” Groups of Recently Arrived Refugees." International migration 45, no. 1 (2007): 59-85.
James, Kieran, and Setsuo Otsuka. "Racial Biases in Recruitment by Accounting Firms: The Case of International Chinese Applicants in Australia." Critical Perspectives on Accounting 20, no. 4 (2009): 469-91.
Liu, H. (2017). Undoing whiteness: The Dao of anti-racist diversity practice. Gender, Work and Organization, 24(5), 457–471.
Liu, H. (2020). Destruction. In Redeeming Leadership: An Anti-Racist Feminist Intervention (pp. 63–79). Bristol University Press.
Noon, M. (2018). Pointless diversity training: Unconscious bias, new racism and agency. Work, Employment and Society, 32(1), 198–209.
Oluo, I. (2018). “I just got called racist, what do I do now?” and “Talking is great, but what else can I do?”. In I. Oluo, So You Want to Talk About Race (pp. x–238). New York: Seal Press.
Rumens, N. (2017). Queering lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identities in human resource development and management education contexts. Management Learning, 48(2), 227–242.
Wright, Claire E. F. "Good Wives and Corporate Leaders: Duality in Women’s Access to Australia’s Top Company Boards, 1910–2018." Business History (2021): 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2021.1994948.
Yang, Yang, and Alison M. Konrad. "Understanding Diversity Management Practices: Implications of Institutional Theory and Resource-Based Theory." Group & Organization Management 36, no. 1 (2011): 6-38.