Non-majority Groups Research Articles

Non-majority student perceptions of diversity and inclusion at a PWI and an HBCU

Purpose Using survey research, the purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of diversity to examine perceptions of diversity and inclusion among majority and non-majority students at a predominately White university (PWI) and a historically Black university (HBCU) observing any patterns of difference between majority and non-majority groups to make inferences regarding students’ sense of belonging, given current national efforts to establish inclusive excellence on university campuses. Design/methodology/approach Results based on Likert-scale responses on a validated questionnaire were analyzed using independent samples t-tests to identify differences for each survey item. Eta squared was used as an effect size measure. The PWI and HBCU were then compared by item analysis. A two-way factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the independent impact of each of the universities (i.e. PWI, HBCU) and the interaction of those two factors in their effect on the dependent variables (i.e. race, gender, sexuality). Findings Results indicated significant differences between the majority and non-majority groups on multiple items within each university site. Further, significant differences were observed between the universities in perceptions and experiences of diversity and inclusion. Originality/value Unique in this study was an examination of perceptions of inclusion at a PWI and an HBCU based not only on non-majority status of race, but also on gender and sexuality with the intention of expanding the research base associated with “sense of belonging” to other groups who have existed as “diverse others” in the context of majority culture dominance.

The deep population history in Africa.

Africa is the continent with the greatest genetic diversity among humans and the level of diversity is further enhanced by incorporating non-majority groups, which are often understudied. Many of today’s minority populations historically practiced foraging lifestyles, which were the only subsistence strategies prior to the rise of agriculture and pastoralism, but only a few groups practicing these strategies remain today. Genomic investigations of Holocene human remains excavated across the African continent show that the genetic landscape was vastly different compared to today’s genetic landscape and that many groups that today are population isolate inhabited larger regions in the past. It is becoming clear that there are periods of isolation among groups and geographic areas, but also genetic contact over large distances throughout human history in Africa. Genomic information from minority populations and from prehistoric remains provide an invaluable source of information on the human past, in particular deep human population history, as Holocene large-scale population movements obscure past patterns of population structure. Here we revisit questions on the nature and time of the radiation of early humans in Africa, the extent of gene-flow among human populations as well as introgression from archaic and extinct lineages on the continent.

Is Diversity Still Progress? The Process of Diversity Commodification in Interracial Organizations

America is rapidly diversifying, and organizations are adapting to meet the needs of our changing society. Leaders of diverse organizations are expected to celebrate cultural differences, manage multiple preferences, and facilitate egalitarian relationships. Recent work on organizations reveal that diversity initiatives focus on appearing progressive but, in practice, reproduce internal and external racial inequalities. This study examines the diversity initiatives developed by leaders of multiracial churches. A systematic analysis of in-depth interviews, field notes, and surveys of 121 leaders of multiracial religious organizations reveals why social embeddedness matters for diversity initiatives and how leaders leverage diversity to increase economic resources. We develop a theoretical concept called “diversity commodification” – converting the social value embedded in relations to non-majority groups into material resources – to explore how and why leaders convert the culture of people of color into social and economic resources.

Conscripted curriculum: The experiences of minority genetic counseling students.

While the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the genetic counseling profession has been discussed for decades, little attention has been paid to the training experiences of under-represented minorities. Under-represented minority graduate students in other disciplines have been reported to experience microaggressions and feelings of isolation during training, and they are often informally enlisted to educate classmates about issues related to race. In 2019, sociologist Lauren Olsen coined the term conscripted curriculum to describe the utilization of minority medical students to elucidate issues of race or ethnicity for their classmates. The conscripted curriculum arises when these topics are taught in a small-group discussion format that relies on students sharing their individual experiences to educate their classmates. In classrooms with limited diversity, the expectation to contribute falls disproportionately on students from non-majority groups. In this qualitative study, we conducted videoconference focus groups with 32 recent graduates of genetic counseling training programs who identified as racial or ethnic minorities. We present the results of two thematic categories that emerged from that study: the participants' perspectives on the cultural competency curriculum in their training programs and the participants' feelings of being pressed into service as spokespeople for their cultural groups. Participants described the cultural competency training as occurring primarily in a small-group discussion format in which students were expected to share their personal experiences. During these discussions, minority students, especially those in less-diverse class cohorts, felt obliged to contribute their perspectives in order to educate non-minority classmates about issues of race and ethnicity, leading to feelings of frustration and exhaustion. The results reflect a conscripted curriculum as described by Olsen (2019). Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(1), 55-68, in which minority students bear the burden of educating their classmates about the social basis of race. Genetic counseling training programs should critically examine their cultural competency curriculum to create a more equitable training environment.

American Indian Representation and State Policy

ABSTRACTDespite provisions in the United States Constitution and in the Constitutions of the American States guaranteeing equal access for non-majority populations to vote, seek office, and lobby government officials, a thorough understanding of how non-majority group interests are represented in public policy proposals remains underdeveloped. For example, significant challenges to policy representation remain for racial and ethnic minorities, women, and LGB populations in Congress and these challenges may be even more pronounced in the American States. Moreover, understanding what facilitates the representation of non-majority interests is central to understanding democracy. We propose to add to our understanding of how group interests are represented by conceptualising representation as the policy responsiveness of elected officials. Specifically, we measure policy responsiveness as the amount of American Indian substantive and symbolic legislation proposed and passed in state legislatures. Our findings suggest that there are more substantive American Indian pieces of legislation proposed and passed in states with larger American Indian populations, have legislative committees and executive offices in place to address Native issues, and where American Indians have contributed more to state legislative candidates. Conversely, symbolic representation of Native issues via proposed and passed legislation is greater in states with larger American Indian populations only, and appears unaffected by tribal-state relations or state institutional arrangement.

Diversity and the Difficulty of Living it: The Case of Public Spaces in Skopje (North Macedonia)

Abstract Ethnic diversity and cultural heterogeneity are a reality for the city of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. The changing ethnic demography and redressed power-balance between majority and non-majority groups on local level have spurred a turbulent conflict – that of governance of diversity in public space. This paper aims to understand citizens’ views on how language, ethnicity, religion and collective cultural symbols are legitimised through the political, social and symbolic value of public spaces in their neighbourhoods. The results indicate that the political value of public spaces to stimulate contact, deliberation and debate among citizens on issues of their concern is undermined. Public spaces in Skopje are not planned and managed through a wide forum of citizen engagement. The colliding ethnonationalism and symbolic power struggle between the major ethnic groups result in co-ethnic preferences in socialisation and selection of public spaces. The concept of “the appropriate citizen” constructed through the symbolic meaning of public spaces perpetuates ethnonational rhetoric and supports expressions of citizenship that are limited to the nation-state and ethnic identification. In opposition to contact theory, this research indicates that self-segregation of ethnic groups can be prevalent in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. This should make us think of the context where the contact is established and not only of the content of the interaction.

Milliyet Çocuk and the Making of Children's Literary Culture in Turkey in the 1970s

This article is based on a systematic content analysis of Milliyet Çocuk, a children's magazine published by a left-leaning publishing house in the politically polarised context of Turkey in the late 1970s. It outlines the socio-political and cultural context, defines Milliyet Çocuk's position in the structure of the publishing field and questions how a non-majority group made space for themselves in a nation's children's literature. The archival material used in this article has been collected for the course New Perspectives in Cultural History, taught by Prof. Cengiz Kırlı. My research is funded by the Swedish Institute.

Rethinking Campus Sexual Assault: We must Be Leaders in Anti-Bias Practices, Civil Rights and Human Rights

During an era when campuses nationwide are increasingly in the spotlight for a range of sexual assault infractions, Rothman proposes four groundbreaking thought experiments that challenge the status quo in campus-based prevention programming and call for us to do better. Namely, Rothman’s thought experiments—which suggest that campuses 1) invest in fighting structural oppression at the societal level, 2) direct their social norming work at the macro level, 3) educate preventionists in consent and pleasure related to kink, anal sex and group sex, and 4) enact education and counseling for sexual violence perpetrators—provide us with fresh opportunities to examine our willingness and capacity to change and to become even more impactful leaders in practices to reduce sexual violence. In the present editorial, I argue that for Rothman’s experiments (which are focused fundamentally on changing underlying power structures at the intersection of gender, race, sexuality, ability status and socioeconomic status) to be optimally effective, campuses must first engage intensively and systematically in anti-bias curricula to prepare us to be effective fighters for civil rights and human rights. Accordingly, we must be willing to acknowledge that biases exist in all of us, that biases operate in across environments to both privilege and disadvantage at the intersection of gender, race, sexuality, ability status and socioeconomic status, and that we must replace our biases with equity-focused actions for greater equity for all. I applaud Rothman in her outside-the-box thought experiments, join her in challenging us to do things differently on our nation’s campuses, and hope we have the courage to be leaders in anti-bias, civil rights and human rights practices to more impactfully reduce sexual violence against women and non-majority groups.

Leveraging a Community Participatory Framework To Move Climate Survey Data Into Action at a Small College

A participatory framework in conducting research and implementing decisions can engage multiple constituents throughout a college community. At a small college, it is especially relevant, because nonmajority groups are especially vulnerable because of a smaller critical mass.

Role of ethnicity in human papillomavirus vaccination uptake: a cross-sectional study of girls from ethnic minority groups attending London schools

ObjectivesResearch suggests that girls from ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination than white British girls; however, the specific ethnic minority groups that have...

Iconic Meaning in Music: An Event-Related Potential Study.

Although there has been extensive research on the processing of the emotional meaning of music, little is known about other aspects of listeners’ experience of music. The present study investigated the neural correlates of the iconic meaning of music. Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded while a group of 20 music majors and a group of 20 non-music majors performed a lexical decision task in the context of implicit musical iconic meaning priming. ERP analysis revealed a significant N400 effect of congruency in time window 260-510 ms following the onset of the target word only in the group of music majors. Time-course analysis using 50 ms windows indicated significant N400 effects both within the time window 410-460 ms and 460-510 ms for music majors, whereas only a partial N400 effect during time window 410-460 ms was observed for non-music majors. There was also a trend for the N400 effects in the music major group to be stronger than those in the non-major group in the sub-windows of 310-360ms and 410-460ms. Especially in the sub-window of 410-460 ms, the topographical map of the difference waveforms between congruent and incongruent conditions revealed different N400 distribution between groups; the effect was concentrated in bilateral frontal areas for music majors, but in central-parietal areas for non-music majors. These results imply probable neural mechanism differences underlying automatic iconic meaning priming of music. Our findings suggest that processing of the iconic meaning of music can be accomplished automatically and that musical training may facilitate the understanding of the iconic meaning of music.

Comparative Study using EEG between Music Major Group and Non-major Group

Objective: This paper is to analyze the impact of musical training to the fast α wave activation of the EEG. Background: EEG is neurological research method that can observe the brain function in real time. EEG can be used to determine the nervousness and relaxedness of a person who receives stimuli in a structured environment. Therefore, it is possible to interpret the functional state of human brain by the analysis of EEG. Method: The brain activities of two groups of university students in the point of RFA(Relative Fast Alpha) caused by different music are analyzed in this paper. One is the group of music majors and the other is the group of non-majors. Results: Music major and non-major groups show meaningful differences in RFA during exposed to classic and metal music. Conclusion: Learning experience on music affects RFA increment of music majors. Application: The result of this study will be used as basic data to evaluate the learning effects of students who want to study music.BR

Decentralisation and the Provision of Primary and Secondary Education in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

This article examines whether devolving responsibility for the provision of public services such as education in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia can satisfy the demands of non-majority groups for greater autonomy over their own affairs. How education systems are designed and delivered is of particular importance to minority ethnic communities since education is crucial for reproducing (and re-creating) the identity of a group. Without the transmission of the aspects of their identity through education, non-majority cultures may disappear. The review begins with the principal arguments in favour of and against devolving responsibility for the provision of education to local communities. An assessment of the Macedonian education system prior to decentralisation follows, accompanied by a discussion of the decentralisation reforms introduced in 2005. Three key theoretical arguments will then be considered within the Macedonian context: (a) whether decentralisation facilitates the provision of heterogeneous local public services; (b) decentralisation’s ability to enhance participation and transparency in decision-making regarding the delivery of services; and (c) whether decentralisation ensures a more equitable and transparent distribution of public resources. The article argues that the decentralisation of primary and secondary education to the municipal level in Macedonia has enabled local communities to more effectively meet the diverse needs of citizens. Persistent challenges, unless adequately addressed, may however undermine the benefits of reform in the longer term.

Indiscriminate discrimination: A correspondence test for ethnic homophily in the Chicago labor market

Numerous field experiments have demonstrated the existence of discrimination in labor markets against specific minority groups. This paper uses a correspondence test to determine whether this discrimination is due to prejudice against specific groups, or a general preference for the majority group. Three groups of identical fabricated resumes are sent to help-wanted advertisements in Chicago newspapers: one with Anglo-Saxon names, one with African-American names, and one with fictitious foreign names whose ethnic origin is unidentifiable to most Americans. Resumes with Anglo-Saxon names generate nearly one third more call-backs than identical resumes with non Anglo-Saxon ones, either African-American or Foreign. We take this as evidence that discriminatory behavior is part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment of any member of non-majority groups, ethnic homophily.

피부건강에 대한 인식과 관리에 관한 연구 -피부미용 전공과 비전공 여대생을 중심으로-

본 연구는 서울소재 대학교에 재학 중인 여대생을 대상으로 피부미용전공과 비전공 여학생들의 피부건강관리의 관심도와 피부상태, 인식 및 관리 행위의 차이점 및 관련성을 파악하고자 하였다. 전공자들과 비전공자들의 대한 비교 분석은 동일한 생활권에서 궁극적으로 전문 학습과 비 전문학습의 일반적인 상태에 대한 지식과 행위를 의미하는 것으로, 연구결과는 다음과 같이 나타났다. 전공 여대생이 비전공 여대생에 비해 피부건강에 대한 관심도가 높은 것으로 유의미한 차이가 있었다(p<.01). 피부미용 전공 여대생은 복합성 피부, 비전공 여대생은 건성 피부가 많은 것으로 유의미한 차이를 보였다(p<.05). 피부 관리 실태에서 색조화장 후 전공여부에 따른 이중세안 정도, 각질 정리 횟수, 마사지나 팩 관리횟수, 선크림 사용 항목에서 각각 유의미한 차이가 있었다(p<.01, p<.001, p<.01, p<.01). 오백식품 및 인스턴트식품의 영향정도와 수분섭취 항목에서 각각 유의미한 차이를 보였다(p<.001).(p<.05). 화장품 사용은 다양한 채널을 통해 효율적인 구매를 하는 경향이었으며, 탁월한 기능이 있을 때는 경제적 부담이 있어도 구입 의향 항목에서 적극적인 성향인 것으로 유의미하게 나타났다(p<.001). 본 연구의 결과는 피부미용 산업 및 교육 분야에 기초자료로 활용되고자 하였다. This study is intended to research female university students' concern with beauty care, their skin condition, knowledge and treatment comparing the majors with the non-majors in Seoul. This comparative study between them focused on their educational and behavioral differences in beauty care in the same living space, and the results were as follows: The majors' average point on the concern with skin health care was higher than the non-majors(p<.01). There were more combination skin type in the major group, and more dry skin type in the non-major group. Also, there were meaningful differences among the two groups in frequency of double cleansing after makeup, exfoliating, massaging or applying mask packs, using sunscreen(p<.01, p<.001, p<.01, p<.01). Further, intake rates of instant food and moisture were meaningfully different between them(p<.001, p<.05). In addition, the majors more tended to purchase cosmetics efficiently through lots of channels, and showed more active attitude to buy high-price cosmetics with outstanding properties although they have financial burden(p<.001). It was hoped that the results of this study would be used in skin care industry and education area in the future.

The Influence of the Year of the Dragon on Fertility of Chinese Malaysians: Cointegration and Variance Decomposition Analysis

Despite the downward trend in fertility amongst the Chinese Malaysians, temporary fertility increases are noted in the Dragon years of 1976, 1988 and 2000. The paper therefore examines whether fertility is significantly influenced by zodiacal preferences, mainly the Year of the Dragon, for the Chinese Malaysians, a non-majority group within a mulicultural society. The methodology employed is based on a cointegration and error-correction framework, followed by a variance decomposition technique to capture both within-sample and out-of sample relationships between fertility and zodiacal preferences. Using a fully-fledged model of the determinants of fertility for the period 1974-2009, it is found that the Year of the Dragon significantly increases the Chinese fertility rate in the long-run. The portion of the variance in the fertility rate explained by a shock in the Year of the Dragon is likewise found to be substantial relative to the explained variation in the former following shocks in the other explanatory variables. Broadly speaking, there is some empirical regularity in the Dragon Year phenomenon based on the Malaysian case and studies of different Chinese populations. Zodiacal fertility behaviour appears a distinctive ethnic marker in that; it is no longer limited only to that of ethnic Chinese dominated societies.

Forgiveness in response to cultural microaggressions

This study investigated prevalence and impact of cultural microaggressions among adults. When participants were asked to describe a time when they had been wronged by another person, approximately 7% identified a cultural microaggression. Adults who experienced a cultural microaggression reported significant levels of distress and moderate levels of unforgiveness (revenge and avoidance) toward the perpetrator. Victims also reported moderate levels of forgiveness about the event. There were no significant differences between victims of cultural microaggressions and victims of other interpersonal offenses in measures of event-related distress and forgiveness. Results are discussed in the context of better understanding the responses of forgiveness after the experience of microaggressions predicated on the victim's status in a nonmajority group. Implications for counseling are presented.

Indiscriminate Discrimination: A Correspondence Test for Ethnic Homophily in the Chicago Labor Market

Numerous field experiments have demonstrated the existence of discrimination in labor markets against specific minority groups. This paper uses a correspondence test to determine whether this discrimination is due to prejudice against specific groups, or a general preference for the majority group. Three groups of identical fabricated resumes are sent to help-wanted advertisements in Chicago newspapers: one with Anglo-Saxon names, one with African-American names, and one with fictitious foreign names whose ethnic origin is unidentifiable to most Americans. Resumes with Anglo-Saxon names generate nearly one third more call-backs than identical resumes with non Anglo-Saxon ones, either African-American or Foreign. We take this as evidence that discriminatory behavior is part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment of any member of non-majority groups, ethnic homophily.

Public choice principles of redistricting

This paper uses fundamental principles of public choice, mainly the median voter theorem, to develop a simple theory of redistricting. The focus is on how closely policy outcomes correspond to majority rule. The main results are: (1) Potential policy bias in favor of nonmajority groups is structurally linked to the number of legislative seats and the population, and the structure of most states puts them very close to the theoretically maximum bias. (2) Random districting, which might seem like the essence of neutrality, does not eliminate policy bias on average. (3) Traditional principles of compact, contiguous districts that respect existing political boundaries, stressed in the Supreme Court's Shaw v. Reno decision, minimize the chance of nonmajoritarian outcomes.Our analysis also offers a gerrymandering explanation for the positive relation between seats and spending that is usually taken as support for the "Law of 1/n."

Public Choice Principles of Redistricting

This paper uses fundamental principles of public choice, mainly the median voter theorem, to develop a simple theory of redistricting. The focus is on how closely policy outcomes correspond to majority rule. The main results are: (1) Potential policy bias in favor of nonmajority groups is structurally linked to the number of legislative seats and the population, and the structure of most states puts them very close to the theoretically maximum bias. (2) Random districting, which might seem like the essence of neutrality, does not eliminate policy bias on average. (3) Traditional principles of compact, contiguous districts that respect existing political boundaries, stressed in the Supreme Court's Shaw v. Reno decision, minimize the chance of nonmajoritarian outcomes.Our analysis also offers a gerrymandering explanation for the positive relation between seats and spending that is usually taken as support for the Law of 1/n.