Over 70 students and faculty
attended a Tuesday afternoon
lecture
by
Swarthmore
economics professor Amanda
Bayer on the implementation of
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
in
the
field
of
economics.
The event was hosted by the
Department
of
Economics
and
co-sponsored
by
LSA’s
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
department.
Bayer
has
served
on
the
American
Economic
Association’s
Committee
on
the Status of Minority Groups
in the Economics Profession.
She published multiple studies
on diversity and inclusion and
serves as a visiting senior adviser
at the Federal Reserve Board.
Bayer
discussed
several
studies on regression analysis
which portrayed the inequality
of gender and race in the
field of economics. She found
women are more likely than
men to be denied tenure; all
else equal, economics has the
largest gender gaps amongst all
math-intensive fields; and when
women co-author with men they
frequently get less credit than
men for the same work.
“I find the evidence pretty
convincing that the playing field
is not level,” Bayer said. “I find
the evidence pretty convincing
that any woman or minority
economist in the room has
faced heavy headwinds, and has
really been superlative to get
where they are today. It’s all the
little things that matter. There
isn’t just one fix to diversity
and inclusion, but there are
many different functions in
the profession that need to be
attended to.”
Bayer discussed the origins
of bias and explained how many
implicit
assumptions
dictate
behavior. She described the
ideas of Daniel Kahneman, 2002
Nobel Memorial Prize laureate
in
economic
sciences,
who
delineated “system one” biases,
those
which
are
cognitive
and
based
on
unconscious
associations,
versus
“system
two,” which includes conscious
reasoning. System one biases,
according to Bayer, are the main
perpetrators of stereotypes.
“We
think
we’re
being
explicit, intentional and rational,
but there’s always this influence,
or threat,” Bayer explained.
“These dynamics happen in all
the professions, so there’s plenty
of evidence of discrimination or
bias amongst STEM scientists
and others, but collectively as
a field we seem to have a more
severe problem.”
Bayer
proposed
three
general
approaches
to
improve
diversity
and
inclusion:
increased
awareness
and
understanding, questioning
assumptions
and
internalized
biases
and
department-wide
efforts
of
countering
bias
and
exclusion. She described a
study she co-authored in
which emails encouraging
students
to
enroll
in
economics courses across
nine
colleges
and
2,710
students
showcased
the
diversity
of
research
increased the likelihood of
completing an economics
course by three percentage
points.
“Once
students
understand what economics
is, once they fill information
gaps or correct stereotypes
about the field, did they like
the field? The answer seems
to be ‘yes,’” Bayer said.
Bayer
emphasized
the
importance for economists
and students to use the AEA
as a resource, following
a robust initiative to uphold
diversity and inclusion efforts.
These initiatives were created
directly
after
AEA’s
2019
survey results measuring the
professional climate in the field
of economics. The AEA released
a statement on the issue which
included in-progress resources
and initiatives.
“Although a full analysis of
the survey results remains to
be done, it is evident from the
findings released today that
many members of the profession
have suffered harassment and
discrimination
during
their
careers, including both overt
acts of abuse and more subtle
forms
of
marginalization,”
the statement said. “This is
unacceptable.”
Business predoctoral research
fellow, Jaclyn Schess, described
the importance of the survey for
her academic career, as she was
gauging the environment for
women in particular.
“I’m
still
thinking
about
getting a Ph.D. in economics, so
this was really important to me
to get a sense of what the current
state of thought is on diversity
and inclusion in the economics
field, particularly because that
applies to me,” Schess said. “I’ve
definitely experienced a lot of
hostility in my undergraduate
degree, and I think I really
wanted to get a sense of whether
or not the field was moving in a
good direction, as I’m making
the decision of whether or not to
apply to Ph.D.s.”
Rackham student Max Gross
is currently pursuing a Ph.D.
in economics, and expressed
the need for more lectures and
events to confront issues of
diversity and inclusion.
“The econ profession — and
our department is no different
— has big problems around
diversity and inclusion,” Gross
said. “I was happy to see the
department
invite
Professor
Bayer to confront some of those
issues, and I hope that this is not
the end of that confrontation.”
ABSTR ACTION, COLOR , POLITICS
2A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
An installment in the Abstraction, Color, and Politics: The 1960s and 1970s exhibition at the University Museum of Modern Art Tuesday.
TUESDAY:
By Design
THURSDAY:
Twitter Talk
FRIDAY:
Behind the Story
MONDAY:
Looking at the Numbers
WEDNESDAY:
This Week in History
KATHERINA SOURINE
Daily Staff Reporter
Amanda Bayer discusses inequality of gender, race, proposes new approach for DEI in field
Swarthmore professor talks diversity,
inclusion for women in economics
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Day celebrates bisexuality, seeks to dispel myths
September 24, 1999
Wearing
a
T-shirt
emblazoned with “Bi Pride”
in large red letters Ann
Arbor resident Susan Hope,
along with lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender
community
members,
gathered last night at the
Aut Bar for the inaugural
Celebrate Bisexuality Day.
Celebrate
Bisexuality
Day,
recognized
worldwide, was initiated to
acknowledge and celebrate
bisexuality
and
bisexual
history in society.
About
45
people,
including
students,
supporters and Ann Arbor
residents, with an equal
gender ratio participated
in the friendly atmosphere
inside the bar and at outside
tables.
“We’re here to socialize,
have
fun
and
drink
together,”
said
Holly
Ferrise,
coordinator
of
education and training for
the Office of Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender
Affairs.
The celebratory day is
“the brainchild of three
activists who wanted to
challenge
the
pervasive
and wrongheaded notion
that any one of us can be
defined by the gender of
our
partner,”
according
to information on BiNet
USA, the largest Aerican
Bisexual
organization.
BiNet USA works to develop
visibility for the bisexual
community.
Hope
said
she
was
pleased with turnout for
the event and stressed the
importance of visibility.
Many
bisexuals
define
their
sexuality
on
an
individual basis, Hope said,
but a general definition
is
“to
be
attracted
emotionally,
sexually,
or
romantically to members of
all genders.
Many people believe that
bisexuals
are
confused
about their sexuality and
the education - including
pamphlets
at
the
bar’s
entrance - help to dispel
this myth, Hope said.
“It’s like a big bisexual
potluck.”
Hope
said,
gesturing
to
the
people
of
varying
ages
and
representing both genders
mingling at tables.
“Does biphobia make you
blue?” Hope asked while
wearing a necklace of four
rainbow colored rings, that
she said represented queer
pride. Hope and others put
blue paint on their faces
to
symbolize
the
fight
bisexula phobia for people
afraid to talk about their
bisexuality.
Second-year
graduate
student
Binyamin
Biber
said the celebration also
gave significance to the
“BT” in LGBT. The letters
representing
bisexuals
and transgenders are often
overlooked, he said.
Co-owner of the Common
Language Bookstore Lyn
Kelly sold books and pins
related to bisexual topics
last night.
“It’s really important to
be supportive of people who
stand up for themselves,”
Kelly
said.
“People
shouldn’t have to feel bad
about themselves.”
Kelly laid her hand, with
her arm dabbed with blue
paint, onto book-covered
table. She said that she
didn’t expect her books
to sell and that she was
there predominantly as a
supporter. ‘This much stuff
has been written by and for
(bisexuals). It’s an indicator
of things changing.”
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