The mirage of diversity, equity, and inclusion: Exploring career development professionals’ pedagogy and praxis

Abstract

Despite the importance of students exploring career options, developing career readiness, and experiencing a successful transition to the workforce, historically excluded populations’ participation in career development remains low. Additionally, career development professionals continue to feel unsupported in their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and in incorporating DEI in their respective roles. This multicase study uncovers a mirage approach to the work of career development professionals, providing opportunities to engage in this work, yet largely leaving DEI work unsupported in their quest to incorporate it into their spaces. Results indicate the larger impacts of navigating a lack of support as well as the oppressive intuitional structures that persist while engaging in DEI pedagogy and praxis.