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tinahudak 's review for:
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do
by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
During the past two weeks in the aftermath of the murder of Mr. George Floyd (warning: graphic description) protests here in the D.C. area, the U.S. and across the world have taken center stage. Turning to Twitter, where I follow artists and authors almost exclusively, I came across a plethora of recommended reading under the #BlackLivesMatter. One such list included this book which drew my attention with its focus on implicit bias. Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt, a 2014 MacArthur “genius” awardee among outstanding other accomplishments, writes beautifully and clearly on this dense and broad topic.
I value Eberhardt’s openness is discussing her own personal history and her interactions – whether on the UVA or Harvard campuses, working in San Quentin with prisoners, with police departments, and most importantly, with her son. It is this shared intimacy along with her training as a professional social psychologist that conveys the messages – intellectually and emotionally. With these private revelations she grabs you; next, the science exposes the cultural bias.
“…I was busy preparing the turkey…while he [Ebbie, her 6 year old son] sat at the kitchen table. Out of the blue he asked, ‘Mommy, do you think people see black people as different from white people?’ "Her honest discussion with her son, is then capped off with research focusing on pre-schoolers and the power of adults to shape profoundly the children’s perceptions." p 36
As a former teacher-librarian, her chapter, “Hard Lessons” carries a special weight; it retells the struggle for education of Judge Bernice Donald on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, who, as a child, picked cotton in “the fields of Tennessee.” Dr. Eberhardt weaves together seamlessly the scientific history and studies behind implicit bias against the backdrop of personal experiences from Black, Latino(a), and whites with the issue of bias at its core. Following the “Conclusion” is included “Questions For Discussions,” and an outstanding bibliography. Whether you read this alone or with a group, there is some way to see yourself reflected. Change is always possible.
I value Eberhardt’s openness is discussing her own personal history and her interactions – whether on the UVA or Harvard campuses, working in San Quentin with prisoners, with police departments, and most importantly, with her son. It is this shared intimacy along with her training as a professional social psychologist that conveys the messages – intellectually and emotionally. With these private revelations she grabs you; next, the science exposes the cultural bias.
“…I was busy preparing the turkey…while he [Ebbie, her 6 year old son] sat at the kitchen table. Out of the blue he asked, ‘Mommy, do you think people see black people as different from white people?’ "Her honest discussion with her son, is then capped off with research focusing on pre-schoolers and the power of adults to shape profoundly the children’s perceptions." p 36
As a former teacher-librarian, her chapter, “Hard Lessons” carries a special weight; it retells the struggle for education of Judge Bernice Donald on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, who, as a child, picked cotton in “the fields of Tennessee.” Dr. Eberhardt weaves together seamlessly the scientific history and studies behind implicit bias against the backdrop of personal experiences from Black, Latino(a), and whites with the issue of bias at its core. Following the “Conclusion” is included “Questions For Discussions,” and an outstanding bibliography. Whether you read this alone or with a group, there is some way to see yourself reflected. Change is always possible.