New study claims popular DEI practices can lead to ramped up hostility and racial tensions

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs popular in corporate America and at US colleges that are meant to tackle discrimination might instead actually foment hostility and racial tensions, according to a new study.

Research by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) and Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab found that certain DEI practices pushed on participants led some of them to become irrationally confrontational and antagonistic.

“The evidence presented in these studies reveals that while purporting to combat bias, some anti-oppressive DEI narratives can engender a hostile attribution bias and heighten racial suspicion, prejudicial attitudes, authoritarian policing, and support for punitive behaviors in the absence of evidence for a transgression deserving punishment,” the study released Monday argues.

Study co-author and NCRI Chief Science Officer Joel Finkelstein told Fox News researchers took ideas that are prominent in DEI lectures and training, and explored how exposing people to that ideology would affect them.

Texts from controversial anti-racist authors Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo were included in the study, including themes that claim white supremacy and racism are a norm rather than the exception.

Participants that read the anti-racist material developed a “hostile attribution bias” and were more likely to believe in punitive measures for offenders of so-called microaggressions even without evidence, according to Fox News.

“And when people are supposed to see anti-racist material in the ideology, it looks like what happens is that they become more likely to punish for any evidence of wrongdoing,” Finkelstein told the outlet.

“That includes protesting people, calling for dismissal, demanding public apologies, receiving people calling for their relocation. These punitive measures are, in some cases, costing people their jobs.”

The NCRI also found that anti-Islamophobia material that comes from a Muslim advocacy group may cause individuals to believe Muslim people are being treated unfairly even if there is no proof of that.

“DEI narratives that focus heavily on victimization and systemic oppression can foster unwarranted distrust and suspicions of institutions and alter subjective assessments of events,” the study claims.  

About 52% of American workers are saddled with DEI meetings or training at work, according to a 2023 study from the Pew Research Center.

The illuminating findings were potentially going to be covered by the New York Times and Bloomberg before both outlets opted against publishing stories on the study, a NCRI researcher claimed to National Review.

“Unfortunately, both publications jumped on the story enthusiastically only for it to be inexplicably pulled at the highest editorial levels,” the researcher said. 

A Bloomberg reporter said earlier this month an article would be published in a matter of days before an editor told NCRI on Nov. 15 it was not going ahead with coverage, according to communications viewed by National Review. Another editor reportedly provided little explanation.

A New York Times reporter was originally in touch with the NCRI last month, but said later the Gray Lady was holding off on a story over concerns the study wasn’t strong enough after speaking with an editor.

A Times spokesperson threw cold water on claims the story was pulled in the 11th hour.

“Our journalists are always considering potential topics for news coverage, evaluating them for newsworthiness, and often choose not to pursue further reporting for a variety of reasons,” the spokesperson told National Review.

“Speculative claims from outside parties about The Times’s editorial process are just that.”

The Post has sought comment from Bloomberg.