How does your company score on Double Consciousness?

How are the following statements answered in your organisation?

• I may work here, but I do not feel like I belong here.

• I have to be someone different to be noticed.

• I am a different person at work.

• I don’t think they understand how it is to be an outcast, being judged by your appearance or cultural background.

• I am afraid to speak.

• I am not truly myself, because I am hyper-sensitive to reactions of the norm.

These statements describe the thoughts of someone with Double Consciousness. A double consciousness is a concept in social philosophy created by William Edward Burghart Du Bois in his groundbreaking book The Souls of Black Folk (1903). It is a historical concept created by the negative experience of a black man in the 19th century, explaining how it was to be seen as an outcast, and what that meant for him, as well as for people who looked liked him. It explains how it is to be seen as something negative due to physical appearance in a white-dominated society.

Judgement & declaration

You can divide Du Bois’ concept of Double Consciousness into two parts: the declaration and the judgment. I will walk you through these concepts. The first consciousness is an identity declaration. It is the person’s own consciousness, a human being worthy of respect. Though, this is precarious for someone with double consciousness and therefore constantly under discussion, as it is subject to a constant fear that the person’s identity is not good enough. The second consciousness is an identity judgment made by the other, the dominant culture. It was the observation by the norm, in a white-dominant society, of a black person as something that is not identical to a white person, and with which the dominant culture didn't want to be associated with. The black person had then to constantly rediscover himself in search for his own foundation, because he was perpetually judged and cast out (Mbembe 2016, p.47). It is the experience of the identity judgment made by the other which causes disorientation of who you truly are.

Key concept

Double consciousness is a concept that is still relevant and could be useful in the development of diversity policies for organisations. Theoretically, it could be seen as a key concept in understanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, because it can measure how diverse and inclusive organisations are. For example, it can show if the minority identity can take their real identity to work without being judged, or that they have to bring an ideal version of themselves instead. Historically, Double consciousness shows a lack of empathy and acceptance of the dominant group, and it shows the hyper-sensitive character of the minority which generates hyper-acceptance of the dominant identity. This hyper-sensitive character causes that the minority identity is aware of their difference, and by this awareness feel that they have to assimilate in the dominant culture to succeed.

What if we can change this concept into a positive connotation?

Recognising & accepting

The complexity of DEI hides in understanding, accepting, and recognising the plurality of identity and equality in the diversity of identities. It is about being aware that there are people with different identities, and that those are different from the dominant culture. In recognising and accepting those identities, the people with a minority identity are not forced in assimilating into the dominant culture. In turn, this will not lead to double consciousness.

Returning to the beginning of the article: how are the following statements answered in your organisation?

If these and similar questions find resonance in your organisation, it’s possible that minority identities experience a double consciousness. It could mean that, despite best efforts, diversity and inclusion policies are not very successful (yet). Measuring the success of D&I policy is hard, especially if organisations find it difficult to define the problem and measure their efforts. Double consciousness, interpreted in the historical context, can help in pinpointing what not to do.

Right now, the concept of DC is used to acknowledge something negative. It is a canary in the coal mine, as it's symptomatic of a lack of diversity and inclusion. But what if double consciousness could help measure, in a neutral way, how diverse & inclusive your company is? This could be done by stimulating and inspiring everyone to develop a “healthy double consciousness”. What I mean is: if people develop this healthy form of double consciousness, they are recognising the plurality of identity and equality in the diversity of different identities. In this way we can use double consciousness as a model in a positive sense, and use it as a tool in understanding diversity & inclusion.

In this context, I propose to change the definition to become a metric on a spectrum, helping us to measure the level and nature of double consciousness in an organisation. This tool can assist us in determining the success of current D&I policies and help set new policy moving forward.

More on that in another article.