1345: Bringing Institutions and Inclusion Together: A Multi-Level Theoretical Integration (12587)

Academic siloes are inhibiting progress on both diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and institutional literatures. DEI theorizing has progressed at certain levels, particularly at the individual level, but lacks depth as it relates to societal inputs, indicating opportunities for institutional frameworks. Likewise, institutional theories have progressed to identify various types of institutional work, conditions that enable institutional change, and actor perceptions of institutions that are clearly affected by diverse actors, but have notably avoided contemporary diversity-related empirical contexts that could address paradoxical gaps in theorizing. The purpose of this panel symposium is to formally begin a conversation to explore how the two literatures can be meaningfully integrated so that each may benefit from the knowledge that has been established in the other and future research agendas can draw on integrated theoretical frameworks. We bring together panelists with different perspectives to discuss the most promising opportunities for theoretical integration at different levels of analysis in both the institutions-to-DEI and the DEI-to-institutions directions.