An Affective-Political Theorizing of Backlash to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Higher Education

Abstract

In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education have become the focal point of intense political and academic contestation. While these developments are frequently described as a “backlash,” the concept of backlash itself has rarely been theorized in education. Drawing on recent affect and political theory, this article offers a conceptual framework for understanding contemporary resistance to DEI initiatives as a distinct form of affective-political mobilization rather than a simple reaction to specific policies. Situating current disputes within a longer history of contestation over liberal educational reforms, the article argues that backlash to DEI operates as an affective-political dynamic shaped by perceptions of elite overreach, loss of voice, and challenges to institutional legitimacy. By applying the lens of backlash politics to higher education, the article illuminates why DEI has become such a charged object of struggle and what this reveals about the limits and tensions of liberal educational projects under conditions of polarization.