DEI workshops on caste, race narratives have been counterproductive: Study

Washington: Certain Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) workshops focused on caste and race narratives have proved to be counterproductive, a study has revealed, prompting a top advocacy group to call for mature and nuanced discussions on identity that are free from the divisive rhetoric.

The findings of the study, 'Instructing Animosity', conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) were released early this week.

The report said there is a divisive and counterproductive impact of certain Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) workshops focused on caste and race narratives.

It highlighted how DEI workshops, particularly those centered on anti-racist and anti-caste narratives, may inadvertently foster otherization and deepen social divisions. By intensifying participants' racialised perceptions and behaviours, such training can contribute to rising polarisation, evident in the surge of social media vitriol.

"We feel deeply gratified and validated by the findings of the NCRI study. It reinforces our mission to promote mature and nuanced discussions on identity, free from the divisive rhetoric and 'Hostile Attribution Bias' identified by NCRI in these training sessions," said Richa Gautam, Founder of CasteFiles.

In a statement, Abhijit Bagal, Legal Director of CasteFiles, criticised the mainstream media for failing to address these concerns. "What is even more troubling is the suppression of the NCRI study by mainstream outlets, which instead amplify one-sided narratives on DEI," he said.

Gautam also highlighted CasteGate.org, a whistleblower platform that challenged the media's handling of high-profile cases, including the now-dismissed caste discrimination lawsuit against two Hindu American managers at Cisco.

"Despite the dismissal, media outlets continued to treat baseless allegations as facts, ignoring evidence presented by investigative platforms like ours," she added.

CasteFiles has taken legal action under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, filing complaints against universities incorporating caste-focused training and policies. The most recent complaint at Rutgers University alleges that the use of caste narratives has not only failed to prevent discrimination but has actively harmed Indian-American students.

Critiquing academic narratives, Bagal pointed to Rutgers Chairperson Audrey Truschke's shifting positions on caste.

"In her earlier paper, Truschke labelled caste as synonymous with Hindu dharma, yet now describes it as a global social phenomenon. This inconsistency underscores the lack of accountability in such rhetoric," he said.

In its statement, CasteFiles called for a comprehensive re-evaluation of DEI workshops to ensure that they foster inclusion without perpetuating bias or regressive narratives.