Neoliberalism vs DEI: The Market and Profit-Driven Limitations of Inclusivity

Despite the eloquent calls of universities for “inclusive excellence,” the neoliberal prioritization of market demands and profit-seeking logics elevate one kind of knowledge, identity, and future above all “others.” This hierarchicalization and singularity only allows for difference as long as it fits the boundaries of “demand,” “profitability,” “entrepreneurship,” and so on. In this chapter, I share my experience as an early career instructor confronting this issue, but I also connect my journey to structural phenomena that have more collective consequences. This discussion allows us to analyze how neoliberal institutions silence, erase, undermine, and homogenize differences even while talking about “respecting everyone.” It also encourages us to think about the structural nature of issues that are often disproportionally experienced by early career instructors in the isolation and individualization of office meetings, letters, and other forms of disciplining.