Audit Inclusion
Meeting technical accessibility requirements without emotional, cultural, or practical relevance. Inclusion that checks boxes but misses the point.
SSA Ontology
Glossary Of Institutional Mimicry
A permanent publication within the SSA Ontology, with a stable web address and machine-readable identity.
Concept scheme · 5 concepts
Glossary Of Institutional Mimicry
Institutional mimicry happens when a system imitates care, inclusion, or reform to protect itself from criticism — without making meaningful changes. These terms help decode what’s real and what’s theatre.
Barrier Redecoration
Rebranding a service with inclusive words or new graphics while leaving the original exclusionary design unchanged.
Empowerment Theatre
When programs pretend to centre disability or trauma-informed leadership but retain control, edit lived experience, and deny genuine co-design or authorship.
Grantwash
Framing a project as inclusive in grant documents to secure funding — then delivering something inaccessible, gatekept, or performative.
Performatory Inclusion
Offering tokenistic roles or visibility while keeping decision-making power behind closed doors. Inclusion as branding, not equity.