“I Refuse to Answer This Question!”: Teachers’ Diversity Beliefs and Dutch Higher Education Transformation

Sofie Smeets
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Sofie Smeets: Department of Cultural Anthropology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands / School of Education (Teacher Training), Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands

Social Inclusion, 2026, vol. 14

Abstract: In an era of increasing diversity in higher education, understanding teachers’ positions and diversity beliefs is crucial. Teachers are often seen as primary actors and change agents in diversity policies within higher education institutions. However, there is a lack of an overview regarding these beliefs in European contexts. Transitions for diversity and inclusion in higher education are often slow due to the invisible normalization of institutional norms, which often stem from teachers’ diversity beliefs. Therefore, this article investigates the diversity beliefs of higher education teachers at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences through ethnographic research. Using interviews, informal conversations, and participatory observation, I analyze these beliefs within a framework of conservative, liberal, and critical diversity perspectives. I present an overview of these perspectives, showing the prominence of a liberal view. Notwithstanding its prominence, interactions during diversity and inclusion events reveal that teachers challenge this dominant perspective, highlighting aspects that often remain unseen. These findings show that diversity perspectives of teachers are not static, but instead represent dynamic, contextual, and relational positions for connection, navigation, and negotiation. This provides insights into the potential for transformation by teachers in contexts resistant to diversity and inclusion. The article contributes to current debates on teachers’ diversity beliefs and their relation to transformation.

Keywords: diversity and inclusion; higher education; resistance and transformation; teachers’ diversity beliefs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:socinc:v14:y:2026:a:11670

DOI: 10.17645/si.11670

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