Introduction

This book has seven chapters which explore diversity from critical and transdisciplinary perspectives. The first chapter defines diversity and identifies its origins, manifestations and frames. The chapter has an illustrative case of the gene delusion. Chapter 2 focuses on generic (i.e. etic) and locally meaningful (i.e. emic) categories of diversity and how these forms of diversity are examined. The illustrative case explains the migration of diversity constructs and categories over time and across countries. Chapter 3 explains how each discipline of science has contributed to the development of diversity science as a transdisciplinary and multifaceted field of research. The illustrative case in this section explores the significance of interdisciplinarity for science and diversity in particular. Diversity and its consequences are explored in Chapter 4 based on pro-diversity research. The illustrative case attempts to broaden the frame of diversity from human diversity to posthuman diversity. Chapter 5 of this book explores the resistance, backlash and setbacks against diversity across micro, meso and macro levels. The illustrative case focuses on the denial of institutional racism in the UK. Chapter 6 presents approaches and techniques for diversity management. It highlights how diversity management approaches lead to certain choices of techniques to be adopted. The chapter highlights the failure of diversity management interventions with examples of international research. The final chapter of the book is on the regulation of diversity, exploring voluntary, coercive and relational variants of regulation. The chapter delineates the new deal for diversity in light of the collapse of the old deal between humans, the environment and technology. The new deal between human diversity, biodiversity and techno diversity is illustrated in a case study on responsibilisation for posthuman diversity.