Hur görs institutionell mångfald? En kritisk studie av performativa spänningar i arbetet med breddad rekrytering och breddat deltagande på ett svenskt universitet

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate and explore performative tensions in the active work of widening access and participation at a Swedish university. By performative tensions, I refer to diff erent factors perceived to hinder or counteract change, such as power dynamics, hierarchy, ideals and non-challenged structures. Focus lies on examining how the university engages with diversity work at various levels within the organisation, as well as how the study's informants work with and relate to the institution’s goals – as articulated in the university’s policy on widening access and participation.

In order to meet the aim of this study, I conducted six semi-structured, qualitative interviews with university employees responsible for diversity work, initiatives and/or the development of the policy. The informants' experiences as well as their statements have been thematically organised and analysed with inspiration from Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (1995) – however, the theoretical framework mainly draws on Sara Ahmed’s (2012, 2019, 2021) theories on performativity, use, and complaint. Ahmed’s concepts and ideas are particularly relevant as they speak directly to the context of higher education and off er tools for critically analysing the power structures, norms, and practices that shape this institutional setting (ibid).

The results of this research indicate that structural barriers (practices and norms that favor certain groups while systematically hindering others), unclear responsibilities, and a lack of institutional support prevent change within the organisation. Diversity work relies heavily on individual actors with limited power, while organisational resistance and a tendency to delegate responsibility downward weaken long-term progress. Despite formal policy commitments, diversity and inclusion are often treated as peripheral tasks rather than integrated responsibilities. Ultimately, the study underscores the need for collective accountability, stronger leadership and a deeper commitment to challenging structural inequalities within higher education.