Anti-discrimination and diversity at school. Findings from the evaluation of an organizational implementation process

Abstract

Current diversity and anti-discrimination policies are the result of intended and non-intended long-term social movements and changes. This implicates informalisation processes as well as formalisation processes of organizations, in which sexism, racism, homophobia etc. are blamed and fought. In this context, the presented EU-Project SPRYNG consists of several data about the cognitive structure as well as the awareness of discrimination in order to support organizational diversity learning. Based on The Established and Outsiders and the process-theoretical debate on diminishing power differences, informality and equality, the paper presents a snapshot of discrimination in educational organizations (schools) and society. The data (survey and expert interviews) give insights into the perception of discrimination. As part of organizational change processes, these collected data supported the discussion about “sensitive and good school culture”. The paper reports about the results, pitfalls and theoretical implications of anti-discrimination politics in the area of education as part of organizational integration politics.