Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
0 likes•493 views
Presentation for 10th Annual Sources of Urban Educational Excellence Conference at Georgia State University. Title: Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
Similar to Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM
Similar to Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM
- 1. Ain’t I a Woman?
- 2. Revisiting the Double Bind: Ensuring the Development and Advancement of Women of Color in STEM Brittany J. Harris Georgetown University
- 3. “In such case, it does not matter whether one is being hit with the club of sexism or racism—they both hurt. And this is the nature and essence of the double bind.” (Malcom et al., 1976, p. 3) • Influential study that explored unique challenges of WOC in STEM • The further one deviated from the “norm,” the higher the cost.
- 4. & the double bind Race Gender “This focus on otherwise-privileged group members creates a distorted analysis of racism and sexism because the operative conceptions of race and sex become grounded in experiences that actually represent only a subset of a much more complex phenomenon (Crenshaw, 1989, p.58)” Intersectionality Theory
- 5. today 1 in 10Scientists and engineers are women of color (NSF, 2013) 2% of all scientists and engineers are Black women (NSF, 2013) Area of Study Women Women of Color Computer Sciences 17.9 4.9 Engineering 18.4 3.0 Physical Sciences 40.9 6.1 Mathematics 43.1 5.2 Social Sciences 53.7 13.0 Biological Sciences 57.8 9.3 Psychology 77.1 18.1 Black women were more likely to be interested in and intend to study STEM fields than White women. (O’Brien, et al., 2014) Women of Color in STEM (NSF, 2013)
- 6. The Double Bind: The next-generation women, the Double Bind Daughters, face different challenges from those faced by their mothers. Now it is less about rights versus wrongs and more about support versus neglect; less about the behavior of individuals and a culture that was accepting of bias as the ‘natural order of things,’ and more about the responsibilities and action (or inaction) of institutions.” (Malcom & Malcom, 2011, p.163) Next Generation
- 7. Unique Challenges of • WOC experience stereotype threat more than their white peers; less positive interactions with faculty (Espinosa, 2011) • Compromised sense of belonging/alienation, questioned competence (Espinosa, 2011; Ong, 2005) • Discouraging classroom practices (Johnson, 2007) – Large Classes – Fear of Asking Questions • Negatively impacted by embedded cultural values of STEM (Johnson, 2007) – Decontextualized Science – Science as a meritocracy • Challenges Associated with Alternate Pathways (Reyes, 2011) Women Of Color
- 8. Fostering Science Identity Science identity refers to how people express and perceive themselves as scientists or members of the science community (Carlone & Johnson, 2007) When I walk through the campus, no one's ever gonna look at me and just think that I'm a physicist[…] I guess the things that made other people find it hard to see me as a scientist are making it hard for me to see myself as a scientist, too. —Sofia Caldo, Chicana college senior (Ong, 2014, p.1) to develop and advance WOC in STEM
- 9. Science Identity Model & the significance of recognition (Carlone & Johnson, 2007)
- 10. Using Recognition to • Supporting Recognition of Self – Intercollegiate Affinity Groups • Developing Culturally Aware “Meaningful Others” – Education and learning opportunities for Professors overcome the Double Bind
- 11. Conclusion Broaden awareness of the unique challenges of women of color Create a culture and environment that support their advancement and development Eliminate barriers for future generations of women in the double bind
Editor's Notes
- Significant amount of research around addressing the underrepresentation of women in STEM, organizations and institutions have engaged in efforts to target women in STEM What researcher’s have found is that less regard has been given to the unique challenges and experiences of women of color in STEM and how they inform and influence their subsequent underrepresentation. As such, there’s been this perpetuated invisibility …. Very similar to what Ms. Truth alludes in her speech
- This gap in addressing the underrepresentation and unique challenges of women of color in STEM was first explored by Malcom, Hall and Brown in their influential study, The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Woman in Science. 1976; 30 women Double Bind to describe the double forms of oppression or discrimination they often experienced at the intersection of their race and gender identities in a white, male industry Much like Truth, these women posited that their experiences as STEM professionals were different than white women’s b/c they also had to deal with barriers associated with being part of two marginalized identities.
- Fast Forward 13 years later, and this idea of the “double bind” can be further supported by Kimberle Crenshaw’s work around intersectionality Theory Critique of Feminist Theory and Anti-Racism Discourse argued that the historic use of race and gender as mutually exclusive categories did not fully address the experiences of black women The consistent focus on otherwise privileged groups (white women, and non-white men) distorted the analysis and stunted remediation of racism and sexism because it was grounded in a subset of experiences … which excluded those of black women.
- These are the Manifestations of their historic invisibility in efforts and research in addressing diversity in STEM Bachelor Degree Attainment and areas of study -- Even in areas where women as a whole have reached or neared parity with men, degree attainment in STEM subjects among WOC are low Problematic Colleges and Universities enroll more students of color, and as women outnumber men on college campuses, women of color represent a growing potential source of STEM talent How do we take advantage of that?
- In their review of the state of affairs of WOC in STEM in the intervening years of the DB study, Malcom and Malcom came to the conclusion that -no longer about overt forms of race and gender discrimination –there is legislation for that -much of this issue lies in the subtlies that exist in STEM culture. Specifically at educational institutions Have not fully realized how WOC experience STEM culture and therefore have been unable to create environments where they can be developed and advanced. Instead they’ve continued to maintain practices and efforts that expound identity as woman or person of color ---- missing the opportunity to make the most of STEM talent What does the small body of research tell us about the experiences of women of color studying STEM?
- Extent to which stereotyp threat is experienced by WOC exceed that of their white peers White women appeared to have more positive interactions WOC reported a sense of not belonging and alienation, often times had their competence questioned because their racial and gender identities deviated from what was considered the norms Lectures were depersonalized, focused more on content without regard to big picture—How what they’re studying applies to the grand scheme of things. Approach can be discouraging to women of color, because they are more likely to pursue STEM for “bigger picture,” altruistic reasons Women of Color who transferred from CC experienced an environment that signaled they do not belong, or were not prepared
- My research recommended countering these challenges by developing efforts that foster science identity among WOC
- Carlone and Johnson’s science identity model really conceptualizes the conditions of which WOC are most likely to persist in STEM Three Dimensions: Performance—Can you do tasks associated with the field? Competence—Is one knowledgeable? Recognition– The ability for one to see oneself as a scientist and be recognized by “meaningful others” as a scientist” Recognition is not only the most critical, but it can also be the most elusive because it is the dimension most influenced by racial, ethnic, and gender identities. In most cases, the audience from which these women are seeking recognition are members of their respective communities—faculty, professors, other students (most of whom or white and male) Focus efforts on recognition
- We can use this model, specifically recogntion to overcome some of those challenges associated with the double bind By first See themselves, reaffirm themselves as scientists and STEM professionals. This could be accomplished by way of intercollegiate affinity groups. These are groups that would be developed as a means to support WOC during their collegiate years. Extend across area universities and even community college campuses. This creates opportunity for WOC to share their experiences, challenges, successes, and support each other. Since in many cases, they are among a few on their campuses, in their departments, an intercollegiate approach would allow them to build relationshiops across campuses This really seeks to resolve the unmet need of healthy relationships with professors --- Stereotype Threat, Implicit Biases manifest as subtle challenges and barriers …unbeknowst to their educators Though unintentional, culturally incompetenty and unaware professors can be detrimental to the persistence of students. Requiring professors and faculty engage in education and learning opportunities that support their self-awareness and encourage cultural competence If we can create conditions that support recognition of self, while also creating opportunities to develop more culturally competent “meaningful others,” we can begin to make strides in overcoming the double bind.
- As we continue to have conversations around STEM, diversity – in education or corporations, it is important that we take an inclusive and intersectional approach to how we address underrepresentation… when we do that… THEN we wil be in a better position to eliminate barriers for future generations of women in the double bind.