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)