Tokenism

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As tokenism (engl. "Tokenism"; of, token ': sign, symbol, evidence) refers to the practice, only a superficial or symbolic effort shall be undertaken by members of a minority to represent in organizations. This can be a conscious personnel policy or an unconscious practice in dealing with members of a minority group or otherwise disadvantaged people in small numbers. The term is mostly used as a reproach. The word “tokenism” cannot currently be regarded as a commonly used word in German. In the meantime, the term diversity management has become established for the topic of minorities in organizations .

History of the concept

The sociologist Rosabeth Moss Kanter examined the gender balance of a US industrial company in Men and Women of the Corporation in the 1970s . In her study, she uses the term token for members of minorities. It shows how female tokens are reacted to in male-dominated areas: on the one hand, they are observed more closely (visibility) and viewed as “exemplary for women in general”, on the other hand they are found in jobs with fewer opportunities for advancement (advancement prospects) . Kanter's analysis focus was not on the individual characteristics of a person, but rather on the organizational structures . Kanter names the power structures , opportunity structures and the number of members of the minority (numbers) as decisive . Kanter also identifies problems of assimilation (antagonistic requirements) and polarization (building gender-homogeneous alliances).

Tokens are older than the term for them. In the German Reich, for example, the only pro forma admitted bourgeois in otherwise aristocratic student corps was the “concession-Schulze”. Today women in “male professions” or domains can be tokens , also physically handicapped or employees of foreign origin in high positions, but also men in “female professions ” such as educators , teachers or midwives . Tokenism thus examines the situation of tokens : “A number of studies show that a token situation for men is by no means a flaw, but a resource: For example, if men are employed in women's professions, they continue to have 'masculine' characteristics such as Leadership and objectivity attributed. "Men as tokens are, however, confronted with prejudices :" Men in non-traditionally male professions are sometimes viewed as homosexual . "

In order to avert criticism of discriminatory and exclusionary conditions or to comply with corresponding anti-discrimination laws, tokenism is also misused as alibiism. Tokenism in personnel policy can therefore also be staged acts of “ fairness ” or “ equal opportunities ”, which, however, cannot shake the unfair conditions that still exist.

Reception in popular culture

In the South Park series , a character is named "Token Black".

See also

literature

  • Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Men and Women of the Corporation. Basic Books, New York 1977 (2nd edition 1993. ISBN 978-0-465-04454-2 ).
  • Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed Sex Ratios and Responses to Token Women. In: American Journal of Sociology 1977. Vol. 82 No. 5, pp. 965-990.
  • Janice D. Yoder: Rethinking Tokenism. Looking beyond numbers. In: Gender & Society 1991, Volume 5 No. 2, pp. 178-192.
  • Mats Alvesson, Yvonne D. Billing: Understanding Gender and Organizations. Sage Publications 1997 (2nd edition 2009. ISBN 978-1-84860-017-1 ).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ token | Origin and meaning of token by Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved July 11, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Doris Krumpholz: Lonely peak. Women in organizations. VS Verlag, 2004, p. 121.
  3. ^ Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Men and Women of the Corporation. Basic Books, New York 1977.
  4. ↑ Doris Krumpholz: Lonely peak. Women in organizations. VS Verlag 2004: p. 122. Specifically Christine L. Williams: The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the “Female” Professions. In: Social Problems 1992 Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 253-267.
  5. ↑ Mats Alvesson, Yvonne D. Billing: Understanding Gender and Organizations. Sage 2009: p. 87.

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