A Bourdieusian Exploration of Ethnic Inequalities at Work: The Case of the Nigerian Banking Sector

This article draws on Pierre Bourdieu’s critical sociology to explore the socio-political processes through which social resources or capital are sought and ethnic inequalities negotiated, legitimated enforced in a postcolonial work context. Applying Bourdieusian analysis data from interviews vignettes Nigerian banking sector, constructs ‘ethnicised identity’ ‘symbolic developed show how employees across divides hierarchies use symbolic markers negotiate benefits enforce control as status-independent capital. Realising diversity management goals multiethnic workplaces may, therefore, require refocusing initiatives racial and, consequently, inter-group (ethnic membership) intra-group discriminations affiliation). research suggests that more nuanced, contextually sensitive perspective is necessary address workplace linked organisations with indigenous multiethnicities.