Tag: summary

History lessons: inequality, diversity and the national curriculum

The sense of belonging of an individual coming from an ethnic minority background is usually quite complex in their newly adopted country, and Claire Alexander and Debbie Weekes-Bernard present the obstacles that Britain faces with their introduction of their new curriculum. In 2014, the revised history curriculum became a controversial issue due to what many perceived as a nationalistic and ethnocentric take on the long history of Britain. This was mainly reflected by the receivers of this curriculum, the student population, being increasingly diverse. Statistics have shown that in the UK, students from Indian and Chinese backgrounds consistently outperform native White British students academically, and that demographically speaking, around 20% of England and Wales’s population are of non-White British minority backgrounds. When the British government is trying to create a sense of belonging for the younger population, is it the right choice to solely focus on the past of the native population? Over the course of Britain’s history, it went from a Celtic island conquered by continental Germanic-speaking Anglo-Saxons, went through a Latinization process with the Norman Invasion of 1066, and created the largest empire in history encompassing most of North America, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. This means that when students learn about the legacy of the British Empire, instead of just the minority the native British became in this commonwealth, the students should learn about the contributions and affects the colonized African and Asian populations created for the empire.   

Alexander, C., & Weekes-Bernard, D. (2017). History lessons: Inequality, diversity and the national curriculum. Race Ethnicity and Education, 20(4), 478–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2017.1294571

Canadian Police Mothers and the Boys’ Club: Pregnancy, Maternity Leave, and Returning to Work

In the article Canadian Police Mothers and the Boys’ Club: Pregnancy, Maternity Leave, and Returning to Work the authors Debra Langan, Carrie Sanders, and Tricia Agocs use their voices to bring awareness towards the issues women police officers from Canada often have in the workplace during their pregnancy and maternity leave.  The police force is already a predominantly male profession, so women are, like Kaplan and Donovan stated, an outsider group within the larger organization.  Due to the often time poor work environment, many people stated that the culture and management of the police force is currently inadequate and required so much needed improvement.  This is evident in the study conducted where “one in five [officers] … think about leaving their current police force from once a week to several times a week”.  This apprehension towards working on the police force could, for some women, be due to the mistreatment when pregnant and requiring maternity leave.  Even before addressing the mistreatment of women during pregnancy, the article mentioned how women usually work during their job on the force.  They often push themselves extremely hard, believing that they need to prove themselves more to show that they deserve to be there.  When considering becoming pregnant, one woman stated that it was very important to make sure that you have proved yourself because if you get pregnant too early, then you would be looked down upon by colleagues.  It was a fear for many policewomen that, by announcing their pregnancy, it meant judgment from everyone, and when a woman was on maternity leave, their coworkers often had to take over the mother’s work, which further caused poor feelings.  When returning to work, the policewoman now needs to reprove herself to try and remove herself from the new demoted position because after time off she might not be an adequate police officer anymore. 

citation:

Debra Langan, Carrie B. Sanders & Tricia Agocs (2017) Canadian Police Mothers and the Boys’ Club: Pregnancy, Maternity Leave, and Returning to Work, Women & Criminal Justice, 27:4, 235-249, DOI: 10.1080/08974454.2016.1256254

link: https://www-tandfonline-com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/doi/full/10.1080/08974454.2016.1256254

Is it safe to bring myself to work? Understanding LGBTQ experiences of workplace dignity

In Is it safe to bring myself to work? Understanding LGBTQ experiences of workplace dignity, Baker and Lucas claim that people who identify as non-heterosexual and non-cis gender will likely face bullying, discrimination, harassment, hurtful jokes and taunts, and ostracism throughout their careers. Through the use of previously conducted studies and statistics, this article examines the homophobic and transphobic attitudes of employers and coworkers. It was found in a 2007 study of a big United States company that 90% of respondents would not hire someone based off of their sexual orientation or consider them as their first choice (Baker and Lucas, 2017, p.8). Additionally, this article conducts a study that creates a platform for members of the LGBTQ community to share personal accounts of oppression they have endured at work. The authors advocate for widespread education regarding the struggles LGBTQ individuals face within the workplace for more inclusive and respectful workplace settings and provides protection strategies for safety and secuirty.

The Association Between Unemployment Status and Physical Health Among Veterans and Civilians in the United States

“The association between unemployment status and physical health among veterans and civilians in the United States” by Than V. Tran,  Julie Canfield, & Keith Chan reflects on the high rate of unemployment amongst veterans and proposes positive change through public health policies and programs. This article focuses mainly on the health effects of long-term unemployment and their impact on the veteran community. Tran, Cainfield, and Keith use the connection between unemployment and poor physical health as justification for an increase in programs geared towards easing the transition from the military to the workforce. The authors present the creation of said programs as favorable to “not only the veterans themselves but for their families, communities, and the greater society at large” Although the authors seem to push the idea of creating programs for veterans, there is also a strong importance placed on furthering research behind the trend in order to “raise public awareness of these health issues, and provide insights into critical questions on how best to develop effective reintegration programs for veterans”. I believe that this article draws parallels between the ideas of both “Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage” and “The impact of organizational diversity policies on minority employees’ leadership self-perceptions and goals” by taking the motivation for change that the Gundemir et al article has and connecting it with the philosophy behind the Austin & Pisano text.

Reference:

Tran, T. V., Canfield, J., & Chan, K. (2016). The association between unemployment status and physical health among veterans and civilians in the United States. Social Work in Health Care, 55(9), 720–731. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2016.1191582 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00981389.2016.1191582

Algorithm-Driven Hiring Tools: Innovative Recruitment or Expedited Disability Discrimination?

Algorithm-Driven Hiring Tools: Innovative Recruitment or Expedited Disability Discrimination? By Lydia X. Z. Brown, Ridhi Shetty and Michelle Richardson, presents us with a compelling report on the consequences AI based assessments have on employment of the disabled. Many of us revel in all the latest advancements in technology. We think the more tech, the better. Brown, et al., however, immediately set about clearing up any misconceptions we may have had about the neutrality and fairness of artificial intelligence-based hiring tests. We are treated to an informative and eye-opening breakdown of all the different types of tools and tests currently being used for hiring. Although it is not expressly noted by Brown, who is autistic and an expert on disability rights and algorithmic fairness, it is clear neurodivergent employment candidates have a high potential for being discriminated against via these tests. The authors also make certain to share with us that many employers do not realize how biased these tests can be. Hence, Brown, et al., spend a great deal of time pointing out the numerous ways an employer could be held liable for discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As such, this report proves to be a valuable resource for self-advocates and employers alike.

Source:

https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Full-Text-Algorithm-driven-Hiring-Tools-Innovative-Recruitment-or-Expedited-Disability-Discrimination.pdf

Neurodiversity Studies: A New Critical Paradigm

Neurodiversity Studies: A New Critical Paradigm written by Hanna Bertilsdotter an associate professor in sociology ,Nick Chown a book indexer who researches and documents his findings on Autism , and Anna Stenning a welcome trust research fellow in humanities and social sciences at the University of Leeds, explores the world of Neurodiverse people and the challenges they face in the workplace. Through their extensive research the authors have been able to maintain their stance of supporting the “Neurodiverse movement”. They reiterate throughout their writing that neurodiverse people, no matter how qualified they may be, face many obstacles when searching for employment. There has been evidence from the PARC, an organization which collects research on autistic people that has shown that even when a person with autism holds a doctorates, they are rarely able progress to further research and lecturing contracts. The writers attribute this to the invalidation of “impaired bodies” making neurodiverse people constantly struggle to establish credibility due to the ableist view point prevalent in society today. It was also mentioned that when a study was conducted, many neurodiverse employees have admitted that they have been in situations in the workplace where in order for them to fit in they felt that it was necessary that they mask any characteristics that might indicate to others that there were different. The writers contend that in order for this to be rectified, there must be an emphasis on inclusion in these spaces so these employees can feel safe and work their best.

source:

https://www-taylorfrancis-com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/books/edit/10.4324/9780429322297/neurodiversity-studies-hanna-bertilsdotter-rosqvist-nick-chown-anna-stenning

Strategic Diversity Leadership: The Role of Senior Leaders in Delivering the Diversity Dividend

In “Strategic Diversity Leadership: The Role of Senior Leaders in Delivering the Diversity Dividend,” Luis Martins proposes a new way of linking diversity and inclusion efforts to an organization’s performance through a framework he calls “strategic diversity leadership.” As a professor and chair of the management department at The University of Texas at Austin, Martins is an expert on innovation, change, and performance. He defines strategic diversity leadership as “the shaping of the meaning of diversity within an organization by the organization’s senior leaders” (Martins 1194). What sets his framework apart from prior studies in this area is the idea that supervisory managers can only do so much if the organization’s top executives do not lead the way. Because of they hold positions of authority, top executives have both the platform and the responsibility for unleashing the benefits of a diverse workforce. He argues that these senior leaders must use the power of communication to establish a vision for diversity and inclusion and articulate that the “current state is unacceptable” (Martins 1198). They must also participate in public activities that promote diversity and inclusion, including rituals and ceremonies. In other words, top executives must symbolize the value of diversity and inclusion through their words and actions. By doing so, their internal and external stakeholders will follow their lead and the organization will realize the diversity dividend.

Martins, Luis L. “Strategic Diversity Leadership: The Role of Senior Leaders in Delivering the Diversity Dividend.” Journal of Management, 1 September 2020, pp. 1191-1204, https://doi-org.libezproxy2.syr.edu/10.1177/0149206320939641.

Reproducing inequity: the role of race in the business school faculty search

In Reproducing inequity: the role of race in the business school faculty search, Grier, a professor of marketing at American University, and Poole, a professor at the University of San Francisco examines diversity in business schools, why groups are underrepresented, and presents a qualitative study using the Critical Race Theory to examine components of race. The scholarly article dives deeper into five components of CRT analyzing why there is not a proportionate number of diverse faculty members to students. This includes: unchanged race and lasting racism, the interconnected nature of race with forms of subordination, the idea of one dominant ideology, experiential knowledge, and commitment to social justice. Grier also speaks about how many business schools only care about the ‘best athlete’ construct, where only outputs matter. Schools often do not take into account extra duties (inputs) of underrepresented minorities including mentoring diverse students and serving as token members in hiring committees. The article also illustrates that in order to be successful in promoting diversity, enthusiasm and promotion of diversity needs to come from everyone. Grier and Poole hope that the conversation on diversity in business schools continues through other scholars evaluating and promoting diversity within their own business schools.

Sonya A. Grier & Sonja Martin Poole (2020) Reproducing inequity: the role of race in the business school faculty search, Journal of Marketing Management, 36:13-14, 1190-1222, DOI: 10.1080/0267257X.2020.1800796

Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1800796

Alternate link to article (PDF): https://www-tandfonline-com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/doi/pdf/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1800796?needAccess=true

Attitudes of students toward people with disabilities, moral identity and inclusive education—A two-level analysis – Summary

The article written by Szumski, Smogorzewska, and Grygiel from the Research in Developmental Disabilities, explores the different attitudes that arise from students and what causes them when it comes to people with disabilities. The authors lay out the different concepts that contribute to these positive and negative thoughts that students are associating with disabled people. They discuss the actual attitudes that students have and the implications of those attitudes; the determinants of when people are aware of the attitudes that they have and how they differ for people with disabilities and people without them; and they put emphasis on how prosocial behaviors are influenced by moral identity. They also include throughout all three concepts the importance of inclusive learning environments and the different effects that come out of them. The two main focuses on the study are the idea of moral identity, what causes it and what it itself causes, and the difference that learning in an inclusive environment can make. The overall results are the study are very important for future education practices because hopefully, it will decrease the negative attitudes towards people with disabilities. Not to mention, starting with younger kids is a good way to hopefully have them thinking positively their entire lives.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891422220301153

A call to action: Preparing a disability-competent health care workforce Summary

Bowen et al.’s scholarly article comes from the Disability and Health Journal and explains the insufficient approaches to people with disabilities in the health care workforce and biased opinions based on the quality or function of their life given by employees. The authors introduce the notion of implementing disability training for healthcare providers while also addressing real organizations and their effort. Two initiatives are proposed in the article: The Disability Competencies and the DCC (Disability Competent Care) model. Both approaches would demonstrate high-quality health care by being more personable and allowing for more access to care, improving responsiveness, and enabling support. The authors use these two initiatives to provide a foundation for a future disability-competent health care workforce. The Disability Competencies consists of objectives that hone in on specific skills and behaviors that would provide quality health care to those with disabilities. At the same time, the DCC model would demonstrate structure to give disability competence training to the health care workforce. The authors stress the urge for systematic change in interprofessional health education and are confident that these initiatives would establish a place to start. Although both initiatives have slightly different objectives, both, when implemented, would improve the health care for people with disabilities by educating the health care workforce. 

https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/276914/1-s2.0-S1936657420X00045/1-s2.0-S1936657420300662/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEPr%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJGMEQCIBXaIpO7jqAKgQm0XLU07QEuw5Sj2YHZ1GfmhhGcCThkAiA0BeWpN%2BQlJ87BbTX0Ph8WXdOoouX8UqkNjdysMK7gfCqDBAjD%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAQaDDA1OTAwMzU0Njg2NSIMd4c7kLFhFunuWDPNKtcDN8KNEtwD7UN66i%2BRqZYAxRFon8s5Dt1Yh3MoNifN15nwBrKmGdwrEvRrY%2BqQoQ6nvsML3foKr1iVf0x8nMoEYQWiCIyFtXbvSFlHaUMU8veSfkugv2m9y%2Bw7KwNY0r1o4cNW5FMjFcGnt9IZEWDlNALBnuKNH%2FNKewJxm%2BejwxpxKRjkK%2FOciz5910LpbbrrpzImNjQXOvHtfLqUkuhM9SuPmV6dwNaeX9a9qpo7zE3Mp4UVhT4RsnKkOPC9n4tc8Z0o7A%2BXCEnUY5G8Ni8K44b81W7FfIXpdAIwqvJRinAAjVku5X%2Fp4PlxfKvGILcFfvKeMKy2l%2BMaANfGjXyGCK6ccXuTMjtpUU37UJnsl2YE4kMoSkF%2BnZyniUcAEf8zMgTK3KaxhWtgehVHmEXTNNpGGS0aEFmPIrrpQ3oWXOKDlaOl5HOuEpNk9VbHgPQVjacm1c8Y2f9TDihx9Nx21VXWT5Yg597lXqJSnyVGaSCWRAvlI3mNI1sGt9tl%2BWtyNf3uFSXwKXV%2B06heWj%2B7gUgnUjt9q0HWFvEBRCD7oAdQwEoLQV6zVAZI8CeoqKXB23P5J9SdNiVl85RW7VEe8pBI3n4zUUWnau0D9vTTkiZxSL%2BL8p8lMMiXw4YGOqYB6EUaCbrgRiWhH9ayqimuMbZXP1H4kmDexweco1I3PdDY5Xy%2BLpJwCP2I2u37sZm09XlHlBbE%2BmxCYmsNIXGVOejJEvFkaDHAs60mPWqm229QDH5zUxNy%2F0OQ%2BC8WmPdo8QR%2BcJEDRKckr5BrZYPZpIOmDYeLQsRJjtfOlpu0MPTpZOe2Yz5WU7Su9b9Y5y54I7tsOI5nHQqgZmAqi2xDcZmLoJ8G%2Bw%3D%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20210621T175303Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTY3FCKRL5P%2F20210621%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=9754a652ff4f008e651ea3629b9a8868307fc3806775e23a2321415266d854cd&hash=c0143100eb9cc17513f4de3f0cd2505653d05dc7625ec7f3fe86cf04e6e355ae&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S1936657420300662&tid=spdf-3c7b4324-aaa7-42fa-9c9f-4ebca94bbf7a&sid=dd8b593970511946284ae7256feb381afe8fgxrqa&type=client