The Global Diversity Desk Reference: Managing an International Workforce

2.1. EVOLVING DOMESTIC DIVERSITY MODELS

Domestic diversity models often examine exclusion and inclusion in terms of who is left out or deprived of opportunity. For example, in the early stages of diversity evolution in the United States, these included factors such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. Each nation has its own historical context—that shapes its reactions to diversity and helps determine what constitutes an injustice, a violation, or an affront. What is considered discriminatory in one nation may be labeled as a national cultural preference or style in another. How do professionals committed to diversity evaluate this range of responses?

Such segmentation often reflects the history of a specific nation. In the United States, ...