On 06/19/2013 10:13 PM, Randy Presuhn wrote:
Hi -
It seems as though participants in this thread are operating
with different understandings of what constitutes "institutional
bias." A critical difference is whether *intent* is necessary
for bias to exist. As I understand it, institutional bias
can exist in the absence of ill intent, and can even be an
unintended consequence of efforts to *reduce* bias.
I would disagree with your definition, but that's a minor issue. I don't
care if you want to call it a "barrier to entry," as you did later in
your post, bias, or whatever other term is trendy atm. Personally, I
have been explicitly addressing the issue of intent, which has rather
strongly been hinted at, if not an accusation directly leveled.
Meanwhile, I personally have said explicitly that we can do better at
removing the barriers to entry that unquestionably do exist, so one
wonders what your point may be.
Most importantly however, the reason I think we need to focus more on
positive actions around outreach and equal opportunity is that by
focusing on "bias" we run the very real risk of making self-flagellation
its own goal.
Doug (and its own reward)