- I think the most significant addition to the argument Wong makes is when she titles a subsection called “What Can You Do?” on the fourth page. Although Wong does add to the preexisting argument in other parts of her article, this section was significant to me. Wong details an almost step by step process that people can use for themselves to become active members of diversity inclusion. She suggests multiple things to do, like acknowledging microaggressions and counteracting them to the larger scale of putting yourself out there and breaking boundaries. As much as one person can read about how to change an environment that is comfortable for all, people tend to learn best by things they can relate to. I felt Wong did this well as she gives almost instruction from the very basic personal level, to the larger scale work environment. I believe she adds to the argument in doing this by focusing on the fact it is very small changes within oneself that can lead to bigger changes in time. I believe she adds to the argument in this piece as she details a call to action, and makes the reader relate it to themselves and connect truly with what they are reading.
- In chapter 8 of TSIS, the main focus is connecting points and flow across sentences or paragraphs. One of the ways in which to connect the parts is to use a contrast transition, where the author can use “In contrast” to transition points and reflect another part of the argument. Wong does this on page 4 of her article when she starts the second paragraph with “in contrast, those” where she then goes on to detail how marginalized identities often are able to recognize when spaces were not meant for them and adapt. She uses this transition to come off of her previous point, and transition smoothly into the next. In doing so, she is able to connect her points seamlessly and as TSIS puts it, connects the parts.
discussion prompts 6/22
- I mainly have been using the Syracuse Summons page as it is easy for me to navigate. I have yet to dive into the advanced features thoroughly, however I used it for my first note taking practice and it provided me with what I needed. I was able to search more keywords to find exactly what I wanted, as well as narrowing it by using the peer reviewed articles feature. Some roadblocks I am running into is how to find the primary source on Syracuse summons. If I were to use another search engine for my research, I am unsure of where to look. Another roadblock I am encountering is how to find an article from a workplace or about an institution that provides services. I have recently found an article that details what certain workplaces are doing, but it mainly focuses on the experiences of those with disabilities. I am hoping to find an article that surrounds what workplaces have the ability to provide, but am unsure of what to search and look for.
- The kinds of texts Im hoping to find are ones that coincide with my points about disability services being accessible in the work force and what that looks like. Im hoping to find surveys or studies that center on those with disabilities who have experience in the workforce, or for articles that show those who do and those who do not. Im hoping to find articles that will emphasize the voice of those who would like inclusion in institutions. I want to make sure the voices of those who struggle with finding a job because of an impairment are heard, and find out why only some jobs offer services and others do not. Im focusing on searching disability services, workplace and education and hoping to find an article that incorporates those aspects. I will also want to try and include articles from workplaces who have services available on why they believe that this inclusion is important for the workplace. I want to be able to reflect that opportunity can be given, and it will be more beneficial for those involved.
Week of 6/15 Discussion Prompts
- The most interesting and significant information I read in my classmates post is how everyone had their own take on how to define diversity and take what we’ve already learned, and expanded on it. Each article analysis had to do with a different way in which we can define diversity — age, race, ability, education and more. Each post differed in how the lack of diversity was affecting a subset group of people, and further tied it back to the information we had already learned in class. One specific instance that stuck out to me was when I read Mikayla’s article about the gifted education programs and the racial bias within. The graphic she used of a bar chart depicting the percentage of race that made up the gifted program. What shocked me was that those who are of the minority in gifted programs make up a little less than 40% of the program while in districts offering gifted programs, they make up 52% of the student body. This was shocking to me as the gifted program was primarily white students, even though the minority population in schools was larger. With these contributions in mind, my idea of diversity and organizational culture has shifted to believing that change can happen, but it goes farther and deeper than only racial biases in the workplace.
3. The specific passage I am choosing to focus on is the paragraph in which Bogost begins with “Kamau Bobb, the global lead for diversity.” In this passage, Bogost ends with Bobb’s closing thoughts about how in terms of the internet giant Google, they are more focused on bringing more people into the company that changing the rules as of right now. Bogost says that ” In this line of thinking, inclusion is first a problem of economic equity; any resulting social or moral benefits would just be gravy” in which he uses to transition into Charles Isbell’s thoughts. Bogost transitions from one idea of a source to another by analyzing their meaning in their quotes and then further connecting them to enhance his idea. He uses a comparison and contrast as he lays out Bobb’s idea, by then transitioning into the next short paragraph with “But for technical systems to take everyone into account, Isbell contends that representation must shift from an economic imperative to a moral one.” Bogost had previously presented the idea that for Google, the issue that arises with inclusion is one of economic status and any added social or moral benefits would be a bonus. He further develops this idea by using Isbell’s thoughts by transitioning with a solution that Isbell presented. In doing so, Bogost is able to seamlessly connect his ideas he wants to present about diversity, while simultaneously connecting his sources in a useful way.
Bogost Rhetorical Moves
In the first two paragraphs of his article, Bogost retells the story of Amy Webb who had the unfortunate experience of breaking her ankle which lead to her using a backscatter at the airport. In this experience, Webbs breasts were signaled as a weapon, however only to find out this was caused by the underwire in her bra, but the machine unfortunately can not make this distinction. Bogost utilizes this story to introduce his point seamlessly as Webb herself said that the reason this happens is because someone like her was not in the room when the machine was designed. He uses purposeful rhetoric as he placed her experience as a way to highlight that many inventions and devices would be suitable for the larger population if there was more diversity in the workplace. By taking an emotional approach, he is able to emphasize the importance of his point.
Bogost further develops his point by transitioning to how lack of diversity in larger companies is derived from the kind of education their employees are exposed to. Bogost uses comparison of a University program and diversity count, to the demographic of an employer like Google. He analyzes how Georgia Tech has a center to promote women and people of color into overwhelmingly majority employers and promotes higher education to those who thought they may never have it, but for example Google employees who are white and asian is over 95% . He further develops his point by saying that although inviting individuals who are black or have curly hair would change the programs that are being developed, it would change it for the better and avoid problems that Amy Webb experienced in the airport.
In the next part of his article, Bogost uses a series of quotes by Amy Webb, whom the reader has become familiar with and other individuals who further enhance his idea. In using first hand accounts and direct quotes from individuals, Bogost is able to draw the reader in and develop his article into one that resembles a conversation between him and the audience. He uses a series of quotes to resemble a conversation between him and the individuals he is citing, as well as speaking to the audience in person. In doing so, the reader is more likely to be persuaded into agreeing with his points as the sources he uses are notable and used in a comprehensive way.
Bogost again connects one point to another seamlessly as he includes another rhetoric move by using a rhetorical questions. For example, his integration of the Charles Isbell quote ‘ “The real question,” he told me, “is: Are we interested in diversity, or are we interested in integration?” ‘ draws the reader to think about what he is presenting. In choosing to include Isbell’s rhetorical question, Bogost is able to persuade the reacher and have the audience think critically about diversity and whether what we actually mean when we say diversity inclusion.
Lastly, another rhetoric movement that Bogost uses to amplify the point he has developed throughout his essay, is the use of irony and repetition. To conclude his essay framed around diversity in the computing world, he states “Instead, the problem with computing is computing.” In his last paragraph, Bogost suggests and supports the idea that inclusion in the computing industry goes farther than the organizational culture, the issue is within the center of the job field. The issue, he concludes, is with the actual computing. With the integration of Amy Webb’s narrative points, he is able to emphasize that the issues within the system itself which is able to reflect the larger society.
Unit 1 Assignment: Expanding the Canon
The article titled “Employee Assistance Program Services for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems: Implications for Increased Identification and Engagement in Treatment” written by Jodi M Jacobson and Paul Sacco follows the study they conducted regarding the use of Employee Assistance Programs, or EAP’s, in the workplace and the further effects that it had on the company and individual. The article originally published on The American Journal on Addictions can be found on the website EBSCOhost, which provides scholarly articles and similar published works.
The central argument the researchers focused on was to determine whether or not EAP services were significantly beneficial for those with AOD, also known as Alcohol and Other Drug addiction. Furthermore, their study was directed to show employers how individuals with AOD can benefit in an environment where their needs can be met in a judgment free workplace. In order to gather data, the researchers drew from the pool of individuals associated with the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related conditions, or NESARC, from different backgrounds in all 50 states. To narrow the data, the researchers then separated participants into those who had access to EAP’s in their workplace and those who looked elsewhere for help. The researchers concluded that those who had used EAP’s in their workplace were less likely to foster feelings of negativity in the workplace for fear of being stigmatized compared to those who did not have access to an EAP.
Jacobson and Sacco elaborate on individuals in their study who had previously had experience with EAP’s and the demographics of those individuals. The study emphasizes how the use of EAP’s has varied across co occurring disorders and those who struggle with addiction, but they reported that the EAP gave them an outlet to receive help while simultaneously being able to live a normal life.
The influence of EAP’s on the vulnerable portion of the workforce reflected individuals who felt more comfortable reaching out for help, and did not feel they were outcasts. Individuals who suffer from an AOD addiction struggle to reach out and receive the help they need. However with the help of Employee Assistance Programs, those who are struggling have improved performance in the workplace.
The linked article below is published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , or SAMSHA, which elaborates on the use of EAP’s and how to use them within a company. SAMSHA is an agency that promotes receiving help for addiction while simultaneously educating the public of addiction in hopes of reducing substance abuse. The organization breaks down what an EAP is, the different types (i.e. internal programs and external programs) that can be adapted in the workplace, how to select one, the costs and benefits of choosing an EAP and lastly the costs and services of adapting an EAP. SAMSHA shares this knowledge with the public in hopes of encompassing diversity and promoting a work environment that is suitable for peoples of all abilities and disabilities. As promoted by SAMSHA, Employee Assistance Programs target the needs of the individual in order to provide them a way of healing while continuing a healthy lifestyle.
Those who struggle with substance abuse often find the process of healing difficult, especially in the work force where they often feel like an outcast and carry a specific stigma. EAP’s work to break down the barriers to promote a work environment where individuals of all race, gender and socioeconomic backgrounds can receive the help that they need. In terms of diversity inclusion, those looking to promote an equal workplace should expand their thinking to ailments that burden individuals on a daily basis. Addiction is found in individuals of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds and is something we should further expand our minds to include when thinking about a more tailored workplace.
Responses for Week of 6/8
- For this weeks assignment, I am choosing to focus on Salecl’s talk about choice, and how paralyzing it can be. In terms of her rhetorical approach, she engages the audience by starting with a few quotes. These quotes are relevant to the rest of her speech as she incorporates them throughout her talk by ending by talking about one. She ended with restating that she had then choice to include the quote by Samuel Johnson, and she is choosing to end with the same quote. She also engages the audience by retelling a series of stories that while humorous at times, drove home her overarching message of how we as individuals have the choice to change things not only for ourselves, but our environment. Each story played a different role in her topics, as she touches upon how we are often paralyzed by the looming choices and we tend to overthink. As humans, we often take choices too seriously which may induce anxiety and think that what we do now will affect the future, or the choice we make now may contradict what we choose later on in life. I thought her argument was eloquently put together as she related experiences of others and herself to many feelings that the audience may have. She incorporated relevant examples, of taxing the rich or wanting a healthier lifestyle, that the listener can relate to themselves in order to completely understand her points. Her ability to generalize then personalize her message I believe was the most significant part of her delivery, and even made me reevaluate how seriously I take choices and how I too become paralyzed.
3. I choose to do Jason Fried’s Ted Talk on why work does not happen at work to add to the body of knowledge we already have from organizational culture. Jason Fried is a writer and entrepreneur who created the software company basecamp who offers three possible to solutions to why work does not get done at the workplace. He offers the view of how working in an office can allow for short bursts of time to do work, instead of focused uninterrupted time to truly let the creative brain take over. He also touches upon how working from home allows for voluntary distractions, when someone needs a break, compared to the involuntary distractions of working in the office, where someone may approach you and ask you to do something other than what you are already doing. He poses the idea that managers and meetings are the true issue as they are place holders and distractions that add to the inability to work in an office. In order to counteract this, he gives three suggestions to remedying this deficit. I saw a connection between what we have been learning about organizational culture and his solutions for a better work environment. Below, I have detailed them in a Venn diagram to physically show the connections that can be drawn while also highlighting the differences that I have noticed.
Draft of Expanding the Cannon
The article titled “Employee Assistance Program Services for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems: Implications for Increased Identification and Engagement in Treatment” written by Jodi M Jacobson and Paul Sacco follows the study they conducted regarding the use of Employee Assistance Programs, or EAP’s, in the workplace and the further effects that it had on the company and individual. The central argument the researchers focused on was to determine whether or not EAP services were significantly beneficial for those with AOD, also known as Alcohol and Other Drug addiction. Furthermore, their study was directed to show employers how individuals with AOD can benefit in an environment where their needs can be met in a judgment free workplace. In order to gather data, the researchers drew from the pool of individuals associated with NESARC from different backgrounds in all 50 states. To narrow the data, the researchers then separated participants into those who had access to EAP’s in their workplace and those who looked elsewhere for help. The researchers concluded that those who had used EAP’s in their workplace were less likely to foster feelings of negativity in the workplace for fear of being stigmatized compared to those who did not have access to an EAP. Jacobson and Sacco elaborate on individuals in their study who had previously had experience with EAP’s and the demographics of those individuals. The conclusions of their work suggests that individuals who had used EAP’s before were those who had never been married, who were older, and of a higher income household. The study emphasizes how the use of EAP’s has varied across co occurring disorders and those who struggle with addiction, but they reported that the EAP gave them an outlet to receive help while simultaneously being able to live a normal life. The influence of EAP’s on the vulnerable portion of the workforce reflected individuals who felt more comfortable reaching out for help, and did not feel they were outcasts. Individuals who suffer from an AOD addiction struggle to reach out and receive the help they need. However with the help of Employee Assistance Programs, those who are struggling have improved performance in the workplace. The article originally published on The American Journal on Addictions can be found on the website EBSCOhost, which provides scholarly articles and similar published works. The site can be accessed through the Syracuse Library Summons, which provides Syracuse Students and Faculty with access to a wide range of studies and published articles by scholars. The linked article below is published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , or SAMSHA, which elaborates on the use of EAP’s and how to use them within a company. SAMSHA is an agency that promotes receiving help for addiction while simultaneously educating the public of addiction and its many forms in hopes of reducing substance abuse. In hopes of encompassing diversity and promoting a work environment that is suitable for peoples of all abilities and disabilities, Employee Assistance Programs target the needs of the individual in order to provide them a way of healing while continuing a healthy lifestyle. Those who struggle with substance abuse often find the process of healing difficult, especially in the work force where they often feel like an outcast and carry a specific stigma. EAP’s work to break down the barriers to promote a work environment where individuals of all race, gender and socioeconomic backgrounds can receive the help that they need.
Article Summary for week of 6/1
The article titled “Employee Assistance Program Services for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems: Implications for Increased Identification and Engagement in Treatment” written by Jodi M Jacobson and Paul Sacco follows the study they conducted regarding the use of EAP in the workplace and the further effects that it had on the company and individual. In order to gather data, the researchers drew from the pool of individuals associated with NESARC from different backgrounds in all 50 states. To narrow their data, the researchers then separated participants into those who had access to EAP’s in their workplace and those who looked elsewhere for help. The researchers concluded that those who had used EAP’s in their workplace were less likely to foster feelings of negativity in the workplace for fear of being stigmatized compared to those who did not have access to an EAP. The influence of EAP’s on the vulnerable portion of the workforce reflected individuals who felt more comfortable reaching out for help, and did not feel they were outcasts. Individuals who suffer from an AOD addiction struggle to reach out and receive the help they need. However with the help of Employee Assistance Programs, those who are struggling have improved performance in the workplace.
Link for article: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=cc7cfb82-1e46-41b4-9c47-96bcce92c19f%40sessionmgr4007
6/1 Responses
- The type of material I will be looking for in order to expand the canon are pieces that are centered around the success of EAP’s in the work place. For my specific topic, I will be looking at EAP’s that are targeted towards those with addiction. This topic will follow up on the Kaplan and Donovan article, as well as play on the article presented by Austin and Pisano. Not only will this topic incorporate those, but the article about organizational culture will also come into play when considering how to expand the canon. The expert articles I will be searching for will be those who have experience with EAP’s with employees with addiction, and studies that reflect the positive benefits on implementing these procedures in the workplace. I will be looking on the summons page on the Syracuse Libraries page to be looking for scholarly articles to narrow my search. I will also be looking on APA and other Psychology resources to find my material. Using keywords to narrow my search is something I will be using when I begin my search to make finding these articles easier and faster.
- When discussing diversity inclusion in the workplace, a question that may arise is what steps are there to take to break down the barriers of biases. In Austin and Pisano’s article, they direct their approach on how the individuals will benefit from programs centered around tailoring to needs. On the other hand, Kaplan and Donovan remind us that in order to tackle diversity, it needs to happen at all levels of management to create a domino effect. My personal view is a combination of both of these tactics the authors propose, that including those who require a tailored workplace to satisfy their needs, all levels of a company need to be in agreement and aware of the circumstances that it will take to achieve a suitable work environment.
Week of 6/1 Summary of A/P
When we normally think of diversity inclusion, our minds may automatically think about race. However, Austin and Pisano highlight the importance of including neurodiverse individuals in that definition. The two authors dive into the alienation many individuals with cognitive disorders face when entering the workforce. While acknowledging that many struggle to find jobs, they include how those who have jobs have created an efficient workplace around them. Those who are given the opportunity to have a job, as stated by Austin and Pisano, do the job with precision and arguably care more about the job that those who are considered to be normal functioning. The authors then go on to suggest a series of ways that businesses and companies can set up systems for their neurodiverse employees to create a functioning workplace that is accessible for all.