Diversity Concepts in Computer Science and Technology Development

A Critique

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5416675
AutoresLaura Schelenz (0000-0003-3320-2314, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, University of Tuebingen, Germany, autor correspondente)
Ano2023
Volume48
Fascículo5
Páginas1054-1079
Data de publicação2023-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoScience Technology & Human Values (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0162-2439 • E-ISSN: 1552-8251
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/01622439221122549
OpenAlexW4295414675
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas53

Diversity has become increasingly relevant in computer science and technology development, both in terms of inclusive design teams and as a concept used to design "diversity-aware" technologies. The latter part has received less attention and notions of diversity leveraged to design technologies remain understudied. This paper critically examines diversity concepts employed by computer scientists and designers by reviewing 120 articles in two subfields of computer science: personalized recommendations and human-computer interaction. Drawing on Black feminism and critical race theory-inspired literature, I offer a critique of demographic and cultural user representations and underscore the shortcomings of diversity as a strategy to increase user satisfaction and fairness. Particularly concerning is the unreflected use of binary, static, and individual-level diversity concepts in the design of technologies. Such concepts render structural inequalities between and within groups of users invisible and thereby risk reinforcing existing injustices. The paper closes with considerations on whether and how diversity concepts can be leveraged by designers in a social justice-oriented manner

Cultural diversity · Data science · Engineering ethics · Gender diversity · Management · Management science · Sociology · Computer Science · Digital Games and Media · Engineering · Gender and Technology in Education · Innovative Human-Technology Interaction