Linguistic Inequality in Higher Education: Solving the Problem We Created
Lectures & Seminars
March 4, 2022
3:00 - 4:30 pm
DEI
Event Description
This event is part of the Language and Social Justice Initiative Speaker Series hosted by The Language Center at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences.
LINGUISTIC INEQUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Solving the Problem We Created
Dr. Walt Wolfram
William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University
March 4, 3:00-4:30pm ET
RU-NB CAC - Location TBD (in-person event)
Notwithstanding the avowed commitment of higher education to equality and inclusion, the issue of language has been excluded from or erased in diversity programs at most universities. This presentation empirically documents the basis of linguistic prejudice and discrimination in higher education through an extensive series of student and faculty interviews in a large metropolitan university. Based on the conclusions, we developed an innovative, campus-infusion model for language diversity targeting students, faculty, and staff at the university. Activities include integrated classroom materials, videos highlighting linguistic diversity on campus, formal and informal workshops for diverse campus populations, the establishment of a university-ratified Linguistic Diversity Student Ambassadors program, and other activities and resources that have led to the creation of a national model for authentically including language in the diversity canon in higher education.
Walt Wolfram is William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University, where he also directs the Language and Life Project at North Carolina State University. He has pioneered research on social and ethnic dialects since the 1960s and published 23 books and over 300 articles. Wolfram’s current focus is on the application of sociolinguistic information to the public, including the production of 14 television documentaries (three Emmy Awards), the construction of museum exhibits, and the development of innovative formal and informal materials related to language diversity. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the North Carolina Award (the highest award given to a citizen of North Carolina), Caldwell Humanities Laureate from the NC Humanities Council, the Board of Governor’s Holshouser Award for Excellence in Public Service, and is a fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
The Implications of Sounding Like a Stereotype: Cognition and African American English
Lectures & Seminars
Event Description
This event is part of the Language and Social Justice Initiative Speaker Series hosted by The Language Center at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF SOUNDING LIKE A STEREOTYPE: Cognition and African American English
Dr. Rachel Elizabeth Weissler
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Psychology, Linguistics, and Black Studies at College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oregon
February 9, 5:00-6:30pm ET (Virtual Event)
This research investigates the relationship between perception of race and perception of emotion by operationalizing the Angry Black Woman Trope through survey and eye-tracking methods. In the first study, participants listened to isolated words from an African American English (AAE) speaker and a Standardized American English (SdAE) speaker in happy, neutral, and angry prosodies, and were asked to indicate perceived race and emotion of the speaker. Results showed that SdAE was rated whitest in the happy condition, whereas AAE was rated blackest in neutral and angry conditions. In the second study, participant experiential linguistic knowledge was measured. It was hypothesized that listeners with higher experiential linguistic knowledge of AAE would show less bias, determined by identifying emotional speech with emotional and racialized image stimuli as recorded through the virtual eye-tracker. The results indicate that participants have a broad range of experiential linguistic knowledge with AAE, and trends in the data suggest that higher usage can predict less bias.
Rachel is a postdoctoral scholar in Psychology, Linguistics, and Black Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on the linguistic multidimensionality of individuals, and how different intersecting identities, communities, and environments influence perception and processing of standardized and minoritized language varieties. She uses theories and methodologies from sociolinguistics, neurolinguistics, and psycholinguistics to investigate how American English-speaking listeners cognitively interact with Black and white individuals. She also engages in multiple public linguistics efforts, most consistently through her role as Production Assistant for A Way With Words Radio Show and Podcast.
Thank You SGS Recruitment Ambassadors
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
During the Fall, representatives from the School of Graduate Studies were able to participate in various national (virtual) conferences. The Rutgers delegation, comprised mainly of graduate students, presented research and served as exhibitors and Recruitment Ambassadors. Through their efforts, SGS successfully engaged with hundreds of undergraduates seeking information on graduate and summer research opportunities. We thank our Graduate Recruitment Ambassadors for their dedication and hard work!
SGS Welcomes The New Dean’s, SUPER-Grad, and Bridge Fellows
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
On September 24th the SGS DEI office was excited to host a welcome celebration for our incoming cohort of Excellence Fellows, including the Dean’s, SUPER-Grad, and Bridge Fellows. It was a sunny afternoon of socializing, and games where everyone enjoyed ice cream while getting to know the SGS team and other new graduate students.