Linking Perceptions and Diversity: Are Bureaucrats More Inclusive?

• In Event: The Role of Representation in Government

Abstract

This study develops a theoretical framework that explores whether bureaucrats’ perceptions about diversity policies are a consequence of the ethnic composition of the public service and whether bureaucrats are more prone to inclusion. The literature on Representative Bureaucracy has studied how public employees represent in a passive or active way the interests and characteristics of other bureaucrats. While there is abundant research about the effects of this type of representation on performance, few studies exist about the intersection between self-identified ethnic characteristics of public employees, and their perceptions about ethnic policies, and more broadly, about diversity policies.

The article explores how bureaucrats’ identities affect their ethnic-oriented attitudes towards policy. Using data from the most recent wave of World Values Survey – WVS (2017-2020) covering 77 countries, this study tests whether public servants are more likely to commit to values that represent democratic principles such as inclusion and diversity.

The theoretical contribution of this article is to enrich the literature on representative bureaucracy and its link with ethnic composition and perceptions of public sector employees. Advancing in understanding the connection between public opinion and public administration could help to scholars and practitioners to understand whether bureaucrats’ interests match public employees’ self-reported identities and how that affect public policies.

Authors

• Nathalie Mendez, Universidad de los Andes

• Claudia N. Avellaneda, Indiana University