Abstract

In Denmark ethnic minorities have a marginalized position in the labor market. Traditionally, most preventive interventions are directed against the supply side. This thesis, however, chooses to focus on the demand side of the labor market and highlights discrimination as one of the major reasons for the unequal social position between ethnic groups. Diversity management is a strategy that specifically targets the problem of discrimination. This is the reason why this thesis will make an analysis of the concept of diversity management and the potential of the strategy in transforming the position of ethnic minorities in the Danish labor market. Thus a critical normative starting point is selected which is why Fairclough's critical discourse analysis makes out the methodological framework for the thesis. The study is based on a case study where three strategically selected public companies, which work with diversity management, are analyzed. The analysis reveals how these three companies work with diversity management and which social consequences these discursive representations can have on ethnic minorities in the labor market. Four discourses emerge in the text analysis; a rights discourse, a market discourse, an ethnocentric discourse and a reversed ethnocentric discourse. The analysis of the social practices draws on Foucault's theory about discipline and the perspective of empowerment. This analysis shows that the marked discourse, the ethnocentric discourse and the reversed ethnocentric discourse are all culturally fixated discourses with disciplining properties. It is shown that technique of discipline can have the effect that ethnic minorities are homogenized and normalized in a specific direction. The analysis also shows that the rights perspective has emancipatory qualities. Companies that work with a rights-oriented strategy of diversity management can thus have a positive impact on the opportunities of ethnic minorities in the labor market.