Scholarship as Resistance: Elevating The Stories Of Black Employees Under Authoritarian Leadership with Darryl B. Rice

March 28, 2026

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“ There’s this active, erasure of Black history, Black culture, Black experience. We look at our scholarship as a form of resistance and giving voice to Black employees who are typically not being heard. Especially at the moment.”

–Dr. Darryl B. Rice

Dr. Darryl B. Rice, Associate Professor of Management and Richard T. Farmer Associate Professor at Miami University, returns to talk about a recent article he and his team published on how authoritarian leadership harms Black employees in the workplace.

He talks about the leadership implications of their research and validates Black employees’ instincts as they experience racism at work. Dr. Rice also shares practical advice for organizational leaders and listeners contemplating their next moves on their activism journey.

We discuss racial retrenchment and the ongoing backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, the impact left in the wake of institutional leadership’s capitulation to the current administration, and the need for courageous leadership in these times.

We also learn about what’s next in his area of research, focusing on the impact of inclusive leadership, trust, and organizational commitment to equity.

This Educational Segment includes:

The roots and impact of authoritarian leadership on Black employees in American organizations
Connections between anti-DEI backlash and systemic anti-Black racism
Case studies and experimental research on psychological diversity climate and employee thriving
Practical takeaways for organizational leaders and staff under authoritarian management
Future research focus on inclusive leadership and courageous versus cowardly management

Check out Dr. Rice’s first episode: Jim Crow 2.0: How Anti-DEI Laws Are Rooted in Systemic Anti-Black Racism

Meet Darryl

Darryl B. Rice, Ph.D. or “Dr. Ice” to his colleagues and students, is the Richard T. Farmer Associate Professor, Associate Professor of Management at Miami University, and an Associate Editor at the Journal of Managerial Psychology. Dr. Rice earned his Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management at the University of Central Florida, his M.B.A with a concentration in Leadership from Jacksonville University, and his B.S. in Finance/Multinational Business Operations from Florida State University.

He is an award-winning scholar and teacher recognized internationally for his research in organizational justice, behavioral ethics, well-being/stress, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. His work has appeared in top journals such as Journal of Management Studies and Journal of Business Ethics.

His work also appears in the Oxford Handbook of Organizational Justice. His research has been presented and featured at conferences such as the Academy of Management, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and Southern Management Association. He primarily teaches Introduction to Management and Leadership and Diversity and Cross Cultural Management.

Connect with Dr. Rice on LinkedIn.