Towards a less white future? A comparative study of diversity and discrimination within development organizations in Sweden and the UK

This project sets out to analyze diversity and potential discriminatory practices within the development and humanitarian aid sector in Sweden and the UK, in the wake of the increasing critique and debate prompted by the BLM-movement in 2020.

It focuses on head-quarter levels of organizations in Sweden and the UK and includes an analysis of the two state donors and the 10 biggest NGOs in each country.

The research project addresses the following questions: 1) How well are people of color represented at various levels of the organizations, and can we discern a difference since 2020?; 2) What (if any) particular challenges attached to diversity and discrimination appear to be at play in the humanitarian and development aid sector? 3) What (if any) changes do people of color themselves experience after the intensified debate in 2020?

The study draws on development research, with a particular focus on postcolonial perspectives and NGO, as well as the more general research on diversity and discrimination at workplaces, including critical race and racism studies. The project adopts an intersectional perspective and a multi-method design.

It is based on register data, interviews with HR-staff and people of color who are or have been working at the organizations, document analysis and a survey with potential candidates for development work.

Moreover, it has a comparative design, comparing between organizations in and outside the sector with high and low levels of representation.