UC Berkeley

In a societal context that professes egalitarian ideals yet remains deeply entrenched in racial hierarchies, this dissertation introduces and develops the 3D framework—Diversity, Dominance, and Discrimination—to critically examine how seemingly egalitarian diversity ideologies, practices, and decisions may work to preserve the very inequalities they purport to address. By creating this novel framework, the work centers on the subtle and often unseen forces that sustain racial dominance, though not the ones most commonly thought of, like implicit bias. Rather, this framework centers on group-based dominance as the foundational source of discrimination.At the heart of this investigation is the development and application of the first-ever measure of implicit social dominance orientation (ISDO), a subconscious preference for maintaining group-based hierarchies. The dissertation is structured around three empirical papers. The first paper in this collection validates this groundbreaking measure, uncovering its role in explaining why those who outwardly reject dominance might still support policies that perpetuate racial inequities. The second paper applies the 3D model to the venture capital sector, revealing how contractual control terms, far from empowering Black founders, can bind them in ways that maintain racial hierarchies even when Black founders receive investment. The third paper delves deeper into the investment decisions of venture capitalists, exploring how implicit dominance subtly shapes assessments of risk and the allocation of control rights. Together, these papers paint a picture of a diversity paradigm that, when focused solely on instrumental representation, may appeal to implicit dominance motivations and therefore operating to reinforce the very power structures it seeks to challenge. By critically analyzing the role of implicit social dominance orientation (ISDO) and its intersection with diversity ideology, this dissertation calls for a fundamental shift in how we approach racial justice—moving beyond the surface of DEI initiatives to confront the underlying dynamics of power and dominance that sustain inequality. In doing so, it offers a more nuanced and robust pathway toward true equity, urging a reevaluation of the frameworks that guide our efforts in law, policy, and beyond.