As globalization permeates both consumer and labor markets, organizational workforces in the 21st century are comprised of greater diversity along a number of demographic dimensions. To keep pace with the changing business environment, research has considered what diversity means and its impact on group and organizational functioning. As such, there is a substantial body of research that investigates the concept of diversity, its effects, and the processes that underlie these effects. However, the number of questions regarding the what, why, and when of diversity still remain. In The Oxford Handbook of Diversity and Work, edited by Quinetta Roberson, scholars across a variety of disciplines including psychology, sociology, management, law, and social work address these questions with the goal of providing a broad and deep understanding of the field. Based on comprehensive reviews of diversity theory and research from different perspectives, the authors highlight gaps in our current understanding of diversity in organizations and offer insightful directions for future research. With each chapter pushing forward evolution in our understanding of the operation of diversity, Roberson invites the reader into a thoughtful and provocative conversation about the study of diversity in the workplace.

The current volume, the fourth in the series, provides a broad look at the meaning and understanding of diversity and inclusion in organizations. The contributors to this book look toward the future of D&I in organizations and the scholarship of these phenomena. This future focus references not only the content of the chapters-- which we hoped would offer new ideas, emphases, theories, and predictions-- but also to the contributors, emerging scholars who are the future of the field. Indeed, the chapters in this volume offer new perspectives on diversity in organizations, problematize existing perceptions and practices, and offer potential directions for change. Together, the questions and ideas offered these chapters generate a path forward for a thoughtful and nuanced view of D&I in future organizational science. In spite and because of their critiques of the status quo, the scholars and scholarship highlighted here provide hope for positive change.

Since the term "workforce diversity" was first coined in the 1990s, the topic has received consistent and increasing attention by researchers. Over the last 30 years, a body of theory and research has amassed which recognizes diversity as an important work unit characteristic and explored its influence on organizational functioning and performance. Despite these advancements, the field is at a critical juncture where new ideas, emphases, theories, predictions and approaches are needed to propel our understanding of the meaning, import and functioning of diversity in organizations. Accordingly, this volume looks to the future of diversity work, both with regard to the content of the chapters and to the contributors. We endeavored to give a voice to emerging scholars who are the future of our field and can help to set a future research agenda to push our understanding of diversity in organizations. The scholars raise new and provocative questions about race in organizations that deliberate on the state of our science, our understanding of complex experiences of race, and a more nuanced view of race in terms of intersectionalities. Overall, each of these chapters provokes the status quo and, in so doing, offers a fresh perspective on the study of diversity in general and race and racism more specifically. We believe the end result is a more comprehensive exploration of the phenomenon and the development of an exciting future research agenda.

Since the term "workforce diversity" was first coined in the 1990s, the topic has received consistent and increasing attention by researchers. Over the last 30 years, a body of theory and research has amassed which recognizes diversity as an important work unit characteristic and explored its influence on organizational functioning and performance. Despite these advancements, the field is at a critical juncture where new ideas, emphases, theories, predictions and approaches are needed to propel our understanding of the meaning, import and functioning of diversity in organizations. Accordingly, this volume looks to the future of diversity work, both with regard to the content of the chapters and to the contributors. We endeavored to give a voice to emerging scholars who are the future of our field and can help to set a future research agenda to push our understanding of diversity in organizations. The scholars raise new and provocative questions about race in organizations that deliberate on the state of our science, our understanding of complex experiences of race, and a more nuanced view of race in terms of intersectionalities. Overall, each of these chapters provokes the status quo and, in so doing, offers a fresh perspective on the study of diversity in general and race and racism more specifically. We believe the end result is a more comprehensive exploration of the phenomenon and the development of an exciting future research agenda.

The current volume, the fourth in the series, provides a broad look at the meaning and understanding of diversity and inclusion in organizations. The contributors to this book look toward the future of D&I in organizations and the scholarship of these phenomena. This future focus references not only the content of the chapters-- which we hoped would offer new ideas, emphases, theories, and predictions-- but also to the contributors, emerging scholars who are the future of the field. Indeed, the chapters in this volume offer new perspectives on diversity in organizations, problematize existing perceptions and practices, and offer potential directions for change. Together, the questions and ideas offered these chapters generate a path forward for a thoughtful and nuanced view of D&I in future organizational science. In spite and because of their critiques of the status quo, the scholars and scholarship highlighted here provide hope for positive change.