A Primer on Privileged Omissions: Effects and Dimensions of Influence

Abstract Public officers and civil servants are responsible for discretionary decisions, with biases—implicit and explicit—surfacing to impact decision-making. Such biased decisions are, in part, reflected in privileged omissions: the practice of discriminatory inaction that excuses expected standards, rules, and laws because of an individual’s privileged status. This article contributes to existing research on bias in governance and public administration by exploring privileged omissions and expanding on an existing model. We provide a foundational primer on privileged omissions with key dimensions of influence: bias in favor of, myth of neutrality, intersectionality, and resources and training. Additionally, we build upon the existing model of the effects of privileged omissions by integrating the concept of cumulative advantage. The primer concludes with administrative actions and strategies that can be taken to curb privileged omissions and directions for future research.