‘Goodwill is not enough’

Provided by Institute of Education EPrints

‘Goodwill is not enough’

Dr Esther Haines, WiSETI Project Officer, University of Cambridge and
Dr Victoria Showunmi, TDA Regional Programme Leader, Institute of
Education, University of London

Abstract

“Discrimination consists of a pattern of powerful, but unrecognized
assumptions and attitudes that work systematically against women faculty
even in the light of obvious goodwill.” MIT A Study on the Status of
Women Faculty in Science Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999

There have been numerous studies (See, for example, Beyond Bias and
Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and
Engineering, National Academies Press, 2006) to show the effect of the
unconscious biases that we all hold on the progress of women and members
of BME groups. Studies within the USA have shown that identical CVs are
evaluated more favourably if they are presented with a stereotypically
masculine name than if they are presented with a stereotypically feminine
name. Similar effects are observed with race.

In addition, small subtle disadvantages resulting from gender or race based
biases can accumulate to become significant effects. A significant effect
would be, for example, snap judgements - which are used extensively within
the employment world.

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