Marjolein Dennissen

74 The Herculean task of diversity networks learning experiences, particularly with regard to inequality. He compares the battles of the ethnic minority employees to the battles of the women, the LGBTs and the disabled, who are all disadvantaged groups. I observe that diversity networks draw on the rhetoric of collaboration, yet, actual collaboration remains limited. My observation material shows that in the very few cases that collaboration does occur, it concerns similar networks, like a joint event organized by two women’s networks, or recurrent meetings between various disability networks. I observe that the level of ambition is low and coalitions largely revolve around instrumental issues. When diversity networks attempt to collaborate across multiple identity categories, or focus on more fundamental issues such as organizational inequalities, coalition building turns out to be challenging and complex. Reversed Oppression Olympics My analysis of structural intersectionality revealed processes of privilege. Privileged categories are taken for granted and considered as the self-evident norm, while members with multiple subordinate identities are marginalized. My analysis of political intersectionality shows that these processes of privilege also impact the coalition building between diversity networks. Inmy opinion, from the organizational [perspective], the [young employee network] is the most important: the future of the [organization]. The other networks are there, but less important. (Michelle, women’s network and LGBT network Finance) According to Michelle, the young employee network is considered as the most important network within Finance. Young employees are constructed as talented employees that make a valuable contribution to the organization (Dennissen, Benschop & Van den Brink, 2018). The prominent status of the young employee network points at a certain hierarchy or “pecking order” (Tatli & Özbilgin, 2012, p. 185). The first place in this implicit pecking order is assigned to the young employee network, which provides themwith a privileged position. Both in Finance and in Govt, they appear the preferred coalition partner for other diversity networks. However, the young employee networks are hesitant to build coalitions with diversity networks that represent more disadvantaged groups. In general, networks were [like], we are disadvantaged and we want… we want to put ourselves more onto the map. (…) They [other networks] wanted something from the [organization], while we were like we want to contribute to the [organization]. And that is the big difference between [the young employee network] and other networks. Except that… I think the [LGBT network] also really contribute. (…) Imagine you [have an LGBT-related issue] (…) Then you really have a contribution, added value to the [organization] and I think that is important within a network. You should not only disadv-, or not only saying that… hold out your hand [for money], [because]