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Ethnic identity positioning at work: Understanding professional career experiences

Author

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  • Ossenkop, Carolin
  • Vinkenburg, Claartje J.
  • Jansen, Paul G.W.
  • Ghorashi, Halleh

Abstract

In our effort to uncover, understand, and make sense of career experiences of ethnic diverse employees in a professional service firm in the Netherlands, we unraveled ethnic identity construction through analyzing accounts of individual sensemaking, interaction, and institutional practices. The analysis of 26 semi-structured interviews of dominant and minority ethnic professionals shows how both dominant and minority ethnic identity construction is conflated with processes of “othering” in relation to the hegemonic norm. We illustrate and problematize the emergence of the normalization of othering by highlighting its potential consequences for individual career experiences. By opening up the discussion of identity matters in professionals’ career experiences, we suggests means to move away from normalized processes of othering by making room for alterity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ossenkop, Carolin & Vinkenburg, Claartje J. & Jansen, Paul G.W. & Ghorashi, Halleh, 2015. "Ethnic identity positioning at work: Understanding professional career experiences," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 515-525.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:scaman:v:31:y:2015:i:4:p:515-525
    DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2015.08.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Appleby, Kaitlin & Bullinger, Bernadette & Schneider, Anna, 2018. "STEM selves: Women’s identity projects and their assessment of future employers in technical fields," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 311-325.

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