ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the efforts in the profession to increase diversity and inclusion and provides data on the changing demographics of degrees conferred and of the faculty. It recommends the next steps toward a more inclusive economics profession, arguing that diversity and inclusion matter in economics for three reasons. First, if we are to have an inclusive and equitable society, the economics profession must reflect the economic experiences of the diverse social groups we examine with the goal of improving the well-being of all peoples. Second, the diversity of the profession dictates the type of research that is conducted and deemed credible by scholarly communities; therefore, to generate strong objectivity in scholarship we must have perspectives of scholars from diverse backgrounds. Finally, the diversity of the profession increases awareness of social provisioning from the perspective of various social groups, thus creating knowledge that improves the well-being of marginalized groups.
