Bias in Context: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Discrimination and Inequality

Theme
What is the relationship between psychological and structural explanations of persistent social injustice? Much empirical and philosophical work focuses on individualistic psychological explanations for ongoing injustice. Such explanations appeal to phenomena such as prejudice, implicit bias, stereotyping, and stereotype threat in order to understand persisting inequities in a broad range of contexts, including education, healthcare, politics, and everyday interactions. Other work, however, focuses on structural explanations of injustice, appealing to the environmental, social, and institutional constraints that structure individuals’ options.

This conference will bring together philosophers, social psychologists, and political scientists to put individual biases in their social contexts, and to investigate the intersection of individualistic and structural approaches to discrimination and inequality.  The aim is to inform future empirical study, institutional policy, and individual and collective action.

This conference is the first of four anticipated events on this theme in order to develop sustained attention to these questions.  Subsequent events will be held at the University of Sheffield, September 2016; Sheffield, January 2017; and the University of Utah, October 2017.  The September 2016 conference at Sheffield is accepting submissions of abstracts until May 1st.  More information can be found here.

Speakers

Erin Beeghly (University of Utah)

Irene Blair (CU-Boulder)

Tiffany Brannon (UCLA)

Cory Gooding (University of San Diego)

Jules Holroyd (University of Sheffield)

Emily Lee (Cal State Fullerton)

Emilio Medina & Sarine Aratoon (Cal Poly Pomona; presenting research co-authored with Gracie Flicker, Jessica Galva, Jason Nerio, & Viviane Seyranian)

All are welcome to attend.  Registration is not required.

This event is sponsored by Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences.

This event will be accessible.  For specific requests or further details, please contact Alex Madva ([email protected]).

Schedule and Locations

Thursday, May 12th

Bronco Student Center, Lyra Room, 1st Floor

9:30AM-9:45AM

Coffee

9:45AM-10AM

Opening Remarks, Sharon Hilles (Dean of CLASS, Cal Poly Pomona)

10AM-11:40AM

Jules Holroyd (Philosophy, University of Sheffield)

“Implicit Bias and Testimony”

11:40AM-12:30PM

Lunch

12:30PM-1PM

Emilio Medina & Sarine Aratoon (Social Psychology, CPP)
Co-authors: Gracie Flicker, Jessica Galva, Jason Nerio, Viviane Seyranian
“Can Power Posing Mitigate Stereotype Threat among Women?”

1PM-2:40PM

Irene Blair (Social Psychology, CU-Boulder)

On Bias, Discrimination, and Health

2:40PM-3PM

Coffee

3PM-4:40PM

Cory Gooding (Political Science, University of San Diego)

“Between Responsibility and Respectability: 
President Obama and the Rhetoric of Race”

Friday, May 13th

Cal Poly Pomona University Library, Events Room, 4th Floor

9:45AM-10AM

Coffee

10AM-11:40AM

Erin Beeghly (Philosophy, University of Utah)

“Stereotyping & the Wrong of Failing to Treat Persons as Individuals”

1PM-2:40PM

Emily Lee (Philosophy, Cal State Fullerton)

“Phenomenology and the Epistemic Inadequacy of Racism as Bias”

2:40PM-3PM

Coffee

3PM-4:40PM

Tiffany Brannon (Social Psychology, UCLA)

“Cultural Cues that Cultivate Change:
How Mainstream Institutions Can Creatively Address Bias and Inequality through the Inclusion of Diverse Ideas and Practices”

Directions:

Thursday, May 12th: The Lyra Room is located on the 1st floor and the southern end of the Bronco Student Center.  (If you are facing the food court, go left.)

Friday, May 13th: The Events Room is located on the 4th floor of the University Library.  From the main entrance to the building, go up the stairs, escalator, or elevator to the 2nd floor.  Enter the library and proceed to the first set of elevators.  The Events Room entrance is located on the opposite wall from the elevators.  Go past the book stacks and to the right.