In the US, DEI is under attack. But under a different name, it might live on

Companies are pulling back from diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in the US .

Donald Trump has aggressively sought to "terminate DEI " and "restore merit-based opportunity" But some experts suggest some such efforts will continue - but in a different guise.

DEI programmes first emerged in earnest in the 1960s , in the wake of the civil rights movement.

Social media accounts like End Wokeness and conservative activists seized the moment to target companies accused of being "woke" The Supreme Court ruled that race could no longer be considered as a factor in university admissions, reversing decades of affirmative action-based policy.

The speed at which some large corporations have shed their DEI policies raises the question of how genuine their commitment to diversity initiatives was in the first place.

Harvard Law School reported having 19 first-year black students among more than 500 students last year .

Harvard 's law school also saw a significant decline in Hispanic student enrolment.

Some DEI opponents have accused universities of flouting the court's ruling.

Others say companies are just rebranding and reorganising to escape potential lawsuits.