Description
The topic of diversity is ubiquitous in today’s societies. International Organizations (IOs) are not immune from this trend. The United Nations’ discourse and policies point to a strong commitment to foster diversity within its bureaucracy. But does diversity make a difference in the daily work of the UN? This issue is particularly important to tackle since research in management and organizational psychology tells us that workforce diversity is a double-edged sword for organizations. Until today, no studies have investigated the impact of workforce diversity in the context of international administration. This paper fills this gap and studies diversity effects among civilian peacekeepers. The theoretical framework bridges public administration and peacekeeping research and proposes to study diversity effects along two dimensions: inward and outward. In the inward dimension, I present how UN staff use skills and knowledge related to their geographical background in their work. In the outward dimension, I demonstrate that diversity is used by civilians to gain access to host state’s political elites and to contribute to fostering perceptions of the mission’s impartiality. This paper speaks to both peacekeeping studies and to broader debates on the role of individuals in International Organizations.
