cluded in this study explicitly require that panelists do not discrimi-
nate. For instance, the website for the American Council for Learned
Societies asserts:
In the administration and awarding of its fellowships and grants,
the ACLS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex,
sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, disability, mari-
tal/family status, or political affiliation. Applications are particu-
larly invited from women and members of minority groups.
Younger scholars and independent scholars who do not hold aca-
demic appointments are also encouraged to apply.^20Other funding organizations are less specific. For instance, the
website of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation,
sponsor of the Women’s Studies competition, simply states, “Since
its earliest days, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation has broken barri-
ers and opened doors for students whose access to the best educa-
tional opportunities had been limited. Woodrow Wilson continues
to meet the nation’s needs to cultivate young leaders who truly repre-
sent all Americans.”^21 Two of the funding agencies do not mention
diversity. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to expect that all panelists
take it into consideration when making awards; diversity’s relevance
to academic evaluation is widely acknowledged in settings where
panel members typically perform their day-to-day work as evalua-
tors of colleagues and students. While they are generally asked only
not to discriminate, diversity is often actively factored into decision
making.
Promoting Many Diversities: Why and How
Panelists appear to favor an expansive definition of diversity that
does not privilege race or gender, and that aims to promote diversity
within academia because it is perceived as an intrinsic good, leading
212 / Considering Interdisciplinarity and Diversity