Deconstructing Difference: The Rhetoric of Human Resource Managers’ Diversity Discourses

• DOI: 10.1177/0170840604038180
• Publication Date: 2004-04-21T23:52:37Z
• Authors: Patrizia Zanoni; Maddy Janssens
• Keywords: Critical Discourse Analysis; Essentialism; Diversity management; Flemish

This article analyses texts on diversity produced in 25 interviews with Flemish human resource (HR) managers from a critical discourse analysis and rhetorical perspective. Following analysis, we analyse how HR define diversity, their discourses reflect existing managerial practices underlying power relations, they reaffirm or challenge those relations. Specifically, examine enters managers’ local of through the very micro-dynamics language by analysing schemes use grand Discourses draw from. critical, text-focused approach to contributes development non-essentialist reconceptualization that acknowledges power.