Situating LIS pedagogy and curriculum in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism: a reflection on process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jade G. Winn ◽  
Melissa L. Miller ◽  
Caroline Muglia ◽  
Christopher Stewart ◽  
Ruth Wallach
Keyword(s):  
Working Group ◽  
Information Science ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
University Of Southern California ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Crisis ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Pedagogy And Curriculum

PurposeA working group of Masters in Management of Library and Information Science (MMLIS) Librarian Faculty was formed to address diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism (DEIA + AR) specifically in pedagogy and curriculum, resulting in actionable items and recommendations that will ensure the program is promoting diversity, equity, inclusive, accessable and anti-racist strategies, curriculum, resources and pedagogical practices in our classrooms.Design/methodology/approachThe Working Groups charge was designed to begin the work of dismantling the inequitable power structures which will lead to more equitable opportunities and access for marginalized groups that will become leaders in information sciences in the future.FindingsThe efforts of the DEIA + AR Working Group resulted in several supplemental documents in addition to the formal recommendations including curricular and pedagogical best practices, a terminology document (establishing a shared language), a commitment document, recommendations, and a resource repository.Practical implicationsA working group of MMLIS Librarian Faculty was formed to address DEIA + AR specifically in the program's pedagogy and curriculum, resulting in actionable items and recommendations that will ensure the program is promoting anti-racist strategies, curriculum, resources and pedagogical practices in our classrooms.Social implicationsThis process study has value and impact for academics from any discipline to learn about one University's MMLIS program prioritizing DEIA + AR in program development, curriculum and pedagogical practices.Originality/valueThe converging events of the international pandemic and the national crisis of inequity in the United States in 2020 prompted a renewed commitment by the MMLIS program at the University of Southern California (USC) to revisit the program's DEIA policies and procedures and add anti-racism constructs into the curriculum.

scholarly journals Power and inaction: why organizations fail to address workplace bullying

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-290
Author(s):  
Margaret Hodgins ◽  
Sarah MacCurtain ◽  
Patricia Mannix-McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Workplace Bullying ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Realistic Assessment ◽  
Specific Practice ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

PurposeBullying affects at least one-third of the workers through either direct exposure or witnessing, both of which lead to compromised health, and as a result, reduced organizational effectiveness or productivity. However, there is very little evidence that organisations provide effective protection from bullying, and in fact, the converse appears to the case. The purpose of this paper to explore the role of both individual and organisational power in the creation and maintenance of the problem. Such an approach moves away from the specific practice of identifying “bullying” that typically engages targets and perpetrators in a dance that is really just around the edges (Sullivan, 2008) of a larger problem; a culture that permits the abuse of power and ill-treatment of workers, in both practices and through organisational politics.Design/methodology/approachThis paper elucidates key problems with organisational response as identified in the literature and critically examines weak organisational response to workplace bullying using the power theory, arguing that while overt approaches to addressing bullying appear to be underpinned by a simplistic, functionalist understanding of power, practices on the ground are better explained by more sophisticated “second-dimension” theorists.FindingsThere is a need for organisations to move beyond the current individualistic understanding of bullying towards a more nuanced understanding of how anti-bullying policies and procedures are themselves an exercise in institutional power protecting and reinforcing dominant power structures.Research limitations/implicationsThe literature from which this paper is drawn is limited to studies published in English.Practical implicationsThe authors advocate a realistic assessment of the role of both individual and organisational power in the creation and maintenance of workplace bullying, as a way forward to plan appropriate intervention.Social implicationsWorkplace bullying is problematic for organisations at several levels, and therefore for society.Originality/valueThat power is relevant to workplace bullying has been apparent since the work of Brodsky in 1976 and Einarsen's early work, this paper builds on a the more nuanced work of McKay (2014), D'Cruz and Noronha (2009), Liefooghe and MacDavey's (2010) and Hutchinson et al. (2010), exploring the organisational response to the raising of bullying issues by individual employees as an exercise of power.

Extractives transparency gathers pace in the West

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Good Time ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Financial Transfers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us

Subject Developments on transparency in the extractives sector. Significance Transparency legislation on the extractives sector progressed in December 2015 when the US Securities and Exchange Commission published a revised proposal to enhance the transparency of extractive (ie, mining and oil and gas) industries' payments to governments in producing countries. The aim is to provide information on financial transfers which can then be used by civil society, media and other stakeholders to hold those governments to account. The United States was a pioneer in this area, but litigation against its original initiative delayed its progress. Impacts Low commodity prices shift the balance of power from producing countries to consuming ones. That makes producer countries more susceptible to pressures for reform and may be a good time to push for greater transparency. However, opaque and inaccessible power structures in producer states could still limit NGO capacity to use more data to reduce corruption. A test of this will be whether the issue of resource transparency gains traction within the G20.

The way of WalDorF: fostering creativity in LIS programs

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keren Dali
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Creative Potential ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analytical Work ◽  
Fostering Creativity ◽  
Litmus Test ◽  
Participation Requirement

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to call into question the most longstanding pedagogical practices in academia while analyzing their potential to foster student creativity and innovation in the classroom. While some suggestions advanced in this paper may not have the same importance in other fields and disciplines, they are highly relevant in the applied, interdisciplinary, and very fast moving field of Library and Information Science (LIS). Design/methodology/approach Positioning creativity as a teachable skill and relying on the learner-centered pedagogy of Carl Rogers, the paper presents a model that can serve as a litmus test for the creative potential of graduate-level assignments in LIS programs. The model is called “Walls,” “Doors,” and “Fences” (WalDorF); these terms refer to specific statements in graduate assignment descriptions that are necessary (“Walls”); conducive to creative expression (“Doors”); or unjustifiably restrictive (“Fences”). The paper uses a sample assignment from a “Foundations of LIS” course to illustrate the model; it also provides several examples of the WalDorF model application in other LIS courses. Findings Using the WalDorF model, the paper revisits and challenges some of the most common pedagogical practices in graduate LIS teaching, including the prevalence of written papers as course assignments; the implications of equating “research” with an overview of secondary literature; the need for professors’ approvals of research topics; the meaning of the “quality of writing;” the imperative of “academic” writing as opposed to other types of writing; the word/page limit; the use of standardized reference styles; the class participation requirement; and the late assignment policies, among others. Originality/value The real change in education is foundational and goes beyond cosmetic improvements. If we want to develop learning experiences that tap into students’ creative potential, the very core of our approaches needs to be scrutinized and questioned, even the centuries-old staples of academic teaching. At the end of the day, we may decide that changing things is not in the best interests of learning. However, a complete critical analytical work must be done to convince and reassure ourselves that tried-and-true methods are the best way to go. The proposed WalDorF model presents one possible frame for critical revision.

Sexuality education: implications for health, equity, and social justice in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Elia ◽  
Jessica Tokunaga
Keyword(s):  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Sexuality Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Education Curriculum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how school-based sexuality education has had a long and troubled history of exclusionary pedagogical practices that have negatively affected such populations as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer (LGBTQ) individuals, people of color, and the disabled. The social ecological model is introduced as a way of offering sexuality educators and school administrators a way of thinking more broadly about how to achieve sexual health through sexuality education efforts inside and outside of the school environment. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses critical analysis of current and historical school-based sexuality education methods and curricula used in the USA. Authors use both academic journals and their own expertise/experience teaching sexuality education in the USA to analyze and critique the sources of sexuality education information and curricula used in schools. Findings – Historically, sexuality education in school settings in the USA has been biased and has generally not offered an educational experience fostering sexual health for all students. There are now welcome signs of reform and movement toward a more inclusive and progressive approach, but there is still some way to go. Sexuality education programs in schools need to be further and fundamentally reformed to do more to foster sexual health particularly for LGBTQ individuals, students of color, and people with disabilities. Practical implications – This paper offers sexuality educators ways of addressing structural issues within the sexuality education curriculum to better serve all students to increase the quality of their sexual health. Integrating critical pedagogy and anti-oppressive education can increase students’ sexual health along physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions. Originality/value – This paper provides historical analysis along with the identification of structural difficulties in the sexuality education curriculum and proposes both critical pedagogy and anti-oppressive education as ways of addressing sex and relationships education.

Recruitment and retention strategies of LIS students and professionals from underrepresented groups in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 67-77
Author(s):  
Lindsey M. Harper
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Information Science ◽  
The United States ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Retention Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informal Mentoring ◽  
Recruitment And Retention ◽  
Underrepresented Groups ◽  
Job Postings

PurposeThe American Library Association has worked for decades to increase its diversity of individuals from underrepresented groups; however, existing diversity programs in the United States yield just enough new library and information science professionals to replace those retiring or leaving the profession prematurely.Design/methodology/approachThis paper involved performing a review of the literature to assess recruitment and retention strategies of individuals from underrepresented groups within the LIS profession.FindingsThis article examines the problems with existing diversity initiatives within the profession and suggests how the field can recruit both students and employees from underrepresented groups. This article offers new ways to recruit students and employees (e.g. how to create job postings and interview questions) and speaks about strategies for retaining LIS students and employees from underrepresented groups (e.g. formal and informal mentoring networks). Finally, this article offers some suggestions to create a more inclusive environment for LIS students and professionals alike.Originality/valueThis paper offers practical suggestions to increase representation of individuals from underrepresented groups that LIS programs and libraries alike can implement. Suggestions for how to create an inclusive work environment are also presented.

National archives, records and the coronavirus pandemic: a comparative thematic analysis of initial international responses to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Kosciejew
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Archives

Purpose The purpose of this paper is as follows: the first objective is to help illuminate part of the international archival sector’s initial responses to the crisis at its commencement, particularly by thematically analyzing the announcements made by national archives, which are arguably the leading archival institutions in their respective countries and the second objective is to help establish a joint contemporary understanding and historical snapshot of the positions of national archives during the first few months of the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach A comparative thematic analysis of national archives’ first formal public-facing COVID-19 announcements, released between March and May 2020, is conducted, specifically from the official websites of Australia’s National Archives of Australia, Canada’s Library and Archives Canada, New Zealand’s Archives New Zealand, the United Kingdom’s (UK) The National Archives and the United States of America’s (USA) National Archives. Findings Notwithstanding their diverse contexts, all the announcements thematically converge in discussing the closure of physical locations and spaces, as well as maintaining (reduced) services and offering remote access. Another theme appearing across most announcements is the concern for the protection of the health, welfare and safety of their communities. Additional themes featured in some of the announcements include considerations about the handling of paper records and physical materials, the removal and/or return of materials and the provision of further COVID-19 information. Unique themes appearing only once include steps for enacting precautions, furloughing staff and reopening and post-pandemic planning. Research limitations/implications Limitations to the article’s purview include its small sample size, focus on mainly English-speaking contexts and analysis of only official websites. Nevertheless, this sample arguably includes some of the major and leading archival institutions, not only in their respective countries but also internationally, namely, two national archives from North America (Canada and the USA), one from the wider European region (the UK) and two from Oceania (Australia and New Zealand). Further studies could expand the cohort size, diversify the focus for instance by analyzing social media postings and metrics and extend the timeframe. Practical implications This study could be of interest to archival academics and professionals, as well as library and information science scholars and practitioners, public health researchers and policymakers, cultural studies scholars and historians, exploring international and intersectional initiatives that have informed or are currently informing, approaches to and understandings of this pandemic and other similar health crises. It is further hoped that this study will humbly show support and supply solidarity with the wider archival community as it continues responding to and dealing with COVID-19. Social implications Capturing and analyzing aspects of national archives’ communication strategies related to the coronavirus pandemic is a topic of interest, not only for contemporary attempts for dealing with and understanding the crisis but also as a historical snapshot of their responses at this particular point in time. Originality/value By contributing to ongoing conversations about the coronavirus pandemic, this study provides the beginning of an analysis of the international archival sector’s initial interventions within it. As the first article in the archival literature on this topic, a baseline and point of reference are established for other studies that will hopefully follow on this topic. In these ways, it can also contribute to debates on how archives and other cultural memory institutions including libraries, museums and galleries, have reacted to the coronavirus pandemic and their resulting communication strategies and impacts upon their institutions, missions, collections, services and communities.

Women in Power and Decision making Positions : Conditions and Restraints

1970 ◽  
pp. 53-57
Author(s):  
Azza Charara Baydoun
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Political Life ◽  
The Political ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
Slow Progress

Women today are considered to be outside the political and administrative power structures and their participation in the decision-making process is non-existent. As far as their participation in the political life is concerned they are still on the margins. The existence of patriarchal society in Lebanon as well as the absence of governmental policies and procedures that aim at helping women and enhancing their political participation has made it very difficult for women to be accepted as leaders and to be granted votes in elections (UNIFEM, 2002).This above quote is taken from a report that was prepared to assess the progress made regarding the status of Lebanese women both on the social and governmental levels in light of the Beijing Platform for Action – the name given to the provisions of the Fourth Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The above quote describes the slow progress achieved by Lebanese women in view of the ambitious goal that requires that the proportion of women occupying administrative or political positions in Lebanon should reach 30 percent of thetotal by the year 2005!

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caron E. Gentry
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Imago Dei ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Reinhold Niebuhr ◽  
Christian Realism ◽  
Feminist Thought

This introduction contrasts the election of President Obama with the election of President Trump, introducing the concept of anxiety politics and the role of emotions in discourse. It argues that while Christian realism, as articulated by Reinhold Niebuhr, continues to be relevant, its discussion of power structures and anxiety needs to be reevaluated in light of feminist thought. It does so by intersecting Niebuhr with other theologies on the imago dei and creativity. In this way it can better account for the racial and misogynist structures that the United States is founded upon and that continue to haunt and effect US politics.

Political Community in Revolutionary Pennsylvania, 1774-1800

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Owen
Keyword(s):  
American Revolution ◽  
Political Process ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Community ◽  
Popular Sovereignty ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Early American ◽  
The People ◽  
Governmental Institutions ◽  
Popular Mobilization

Political Community in Revolutionary Pennsylvania challenges the ways we understand popular sovereignty in the American Revolution, demonstrating how ordinary citizens wielded significant political power. Previous histories place undue focus on either elite political thought or class analysis; on the contrary, citizens cared most about the establishment of a representative, publicly legitimate political process. Popular activism constrained leaders, creating a system through which governmental actions were made more representative of the will of the community. This book analyzes developments in Pennsylvania from 1774, and the passage of the Intolerable Acts, through to 1800 and the election of Thomas Jefferson. It examines the animating philosophy of the Pennsylvania state constitution of 1776, a “radical manifesto” espousing a vision of popular sovereignty in which government was devolved from the people only where necessary. The legitimacy of governmental institutions rested on their demonstration that they operated through popular consent, expressed in a variety of forms of popular mobilization. This book examines how early Americans interacted with the power structures shaping the world in which they lived, recasting the nature of the American Revolution and illuminating the origins of modern American political practice. It investigates how political mobilization operated inside and outside formal channels of government. Mechanisms of popular mobilization helped a diverse population mediate with governmental institutions, providing the foundation of early American power. Histories that ignore this relationship miss one of the most significant founding characteristics of the United States—the importance of popular politics and democratic practice in the establishment of American government.

scholarly journals Responsibility for chemical exposures: perspectives from small beauty salons and auto shops in southern metropolitan Tucson

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda A. Lee ◽  
Maia Ingram ◽  
Carolina Quijada ◽  
Andres Yubeta ◽  
Imelda Cortez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Chemical Exposure ◽  
The United States ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Chemical Exposures ◽  
Study Partner ◽  
Chemical Products ◽  
Beauty Salons ◽  
Exposure Risks

Abstract Background Throughout the United States, low-wage, minority workers are disproportionately affected by occupational illnesses and injuries. Chronic exposure to hazardous chemicals at work can lead to serious illnesses, contributing to health inequities. In this article, we expand on theories of ‘responsibilization’ in an occupational health context to reveal how responsibilities for workplace chemical exposures are negotiated by workers and owners in Latinx-owned small businesses. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with a total of 22 workers and owners in auto repair shops and beauty salons – two high-risk industries – in Southern Metropolitan Tucson. Participants were asked about their insights into workplace chemical exposures and health. A qualitative analysis team with representation from all study partner organizations collectively coded and reviewed the interview data in QSR International’s NVivo 11 and identified overarching themes across the interviews. Results We identified three primary themes: 1) ambivalence toward risks in the workplace; 2) shifting responsibilities for exposure protection at work; and 3) reflections on the system behind chemical exposure risks. Participants discussed the complexities that small businesses face in reducing chemical exposures. Conclusions Through our analysis of the interviews, we examine how neoliberal occupational and environmental policies funnel responsibility for controlling chemical exposures down to individuals in small businesses with limited resources, obscuring the power structures that maintain environmental health injustices. We conclude with a call for upstream policy changes that more effectively regulate and hold accountable the manufacturers of chemical products used daily by small business workers.

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