Discussion Questions Week of 7/19

Response to #1

Although included in the “Context” portion of the introduction of the article, Wong made a point that stood out to me in his writing, mainly because it goes hand in hand with my upcoming research. Wong basically says that social inequities and organizational culture consist of interconnected systems. These systems are faulty, of course. Marginalized groups often stem from a larger “culture,” meaning a way of life/ thinking that oppresses many people that go against the “preferred bias.” In simpler terms, intersectionality comes to play more than one would think when it comes to injustices for diverse people.

Wong demonstrates the example of gender bias, stating that the unequal pay between men and women supports this way of thinking. However, Wong then says that even lower pay for women of color not only supports gender bias but sexist and racist bias. This is a perfect example, I believe, for introducing how interconnected systems affect culture and introducing the larger picture for understanding marginalization. To successfully tackle equity efforts, people need first to address the experiences of the most marginalized. However, this does not mean that the less marginalized people are exempt. This means that addressing the most marginalized consists of multiple oppressions, tackling multiple issues at once. This is an exciting way of thinking that I will note for my research, which asks how we can conquer multiple pre-conceived biases that result in intersectional oppression?

Response to #2

While reading Cori Wong’s article, I noticed not only does he use very successful transition words, but he uses the word “while” a lot at the beginning of his next paragraph. However, this is not used redundantly. Wong has a pattern; he states a certain point in a paragraph, then in the next one, he recognizes this point and offers a different perspective or view of the one previously stated. For example, in the “Starting With Better Questions” paragraph, Wong explains that simply hiring diverse people gets nothing done if there is no culture or system in place that can successfully support and leverage the strengths of difference. Without knowing, a reader is viewing a setup for the next paragraph. This reminds me of Bogust’s use of connecting his points in a very seamless, almost invisible way. In the paragraph to follow, the first sentence reads, “While diversity often refers to representation of difference,
inclusion refers to how differences are meaningfully incorporated and integrated into daily practices.” This sentence foreshadows what’s to come: a paragraph explaining how to infiltrate an inclusive environment by asking the right questions effectively. Wong is great at framing sentences that “have hands,” which reach out to the previous sentence as well as the ones to follow. They all go “hand in hand,” ironically enough. All of these tactics are essential moves noted in chapter 8 of TSIS. Wong’s use of the word “while,” framing almost a counterargument or different perspective to come, as well as connecting his sentences, creates a very constructive piece of writing.

My highlight:

This weekend on Block Island I was able to see a friend who took the ferry over from Montauk. We went to the beach, shopped downtown, and had a great dinner together. Even though it was just for the day, It made me really happy seeing a friend from school, and got me very excited for this upcoming semester!