Teaching global diversity, equity and inclusion through the lenses of queer theory

The chapter presents teaching diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through the lenses of critical theory called queer theory, which is a contemporary view and approach in modern societies. The chapter also demonstrates how diversity, equity and inclusion are affecting multinational firms globally. Unsupportive contexts often comprise various cultures, social norms, and regulatory landscapes. Consequently, understanding and implementing DEI in these aspects can be significantly different and potentially more complex than in developed markets. This complexity arises from various factors including cultural diversity, different legal frameworks related to employment and social rights, and unique societal values and norms. The chapter explores how diversity, equity and inclusion are linked to the social sustainability in business education, as demonstrated by in-depth case studies on DEI from multinational firms, which includes social sustainability aspects such as work-life balance, employees’ welfare, psychological safety and others. The chapter sheds light on DEI especially, with mini case studies from unsupportive contexts, as this is quite rare in terms of teaching literature and practices across business schools. The chapter relates to SDG 4 - ‘Quality Education’; SDG 5 - ‘Gender Equality’ and SDG 10 - ‘Reduced Inequalities’. The key takeaways for this chapter are interesting and insightful case studies on DEI and critical theoretical perspectives for scholars, students and practitioners in the area of DEI and Social Sustainability. The chapter discusses the tenets and applications of queer theory in the context of DEI. Thus, it provides a lens to critically examine gender and sexual identity, challenging the established norms and assumptions in unsupportive contexts.