Nilanjana Dasgupta discusses with Ivan six things which should be better known.
Nilanjana Dasgupta is provost professor of psychology and inaugural director of the Institute of Diversity Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of many articles; the winner of the Hidden Bias Research Prize from the Kapor Foundation; and the recipient of multiple U.S. government research grants. Her work has been featured in the New York Times and other major outlets. She lives in Northampton, MA. Her new book is Change the Wallpaper.
- Diversity training doesn’t change people’s behavior nor the organizations in which they
work. Do you know we spend 8 billion dollars on diversity training each year? Only a few DEI
trainings are grounded in science; most are not. Some trainings increase people’s awareness and knowledge about bias and how it works immediately after the training, but benefits fade quickly. - Our behavior is shaped by situational forces more often than our personal beliefs.
What do I mean by situational forces? They include the opinions of our colleagues, peers, and
bosses. The roles we occupy and the role-based norms and expectations of how we should act.
Informal organizational practices and formal policies that constrain our behavior. Stories that signal who and what is valued and respected more and so we try to emulate that and stay away from others who are valued less. The physical design of built environments encourages some people to mix while keeping others apart. All of these situational forces are like the wallpaper in a room—the stuff in the background, barely noticed. - The path to culture change is not individual heroes. In fact, individuals acting alone are
powerless. But individuals acting together with intention are powerful movers of cultures.
Culture change is not a one-shot deal; it requires repeated incremental action. Local culture is the sweet spot for people to act together to promote positive culture change, not the larger macro culture. Actions that change material conditions are more important than symbolic acts. - Talent is made, not born. Did you know that young Einstein early in life was pretty average?
He struggled in school as a child. He didn’t get admission into his college of choice the first time but got in after a second attempt. After graduating, he couldn’t find a permanent job for a while, until a friend’s father helped him get a job at the patent office in Zurich. He struggled to balance work, family, and finish his PhD. Did you know that Einstein’s career was helped by his first wife, also a physicist, whose intellectual collaboration was hidden from public view until later. Mileva Marić was born in Serbia at a time when there were strong restrictions against women pursuing careers in science. They met at the Polytechnic Institute where they shared a passion for physics and fell in love. Letters suggest they collaborated intellectually through their romance and marriage until their separation, but her name doesn’t appear in any of his published work. - Playing for change: A global music project turned movement turned non-profit
organization for social good that connects the world through music. The idea came from the
belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and connect people across the world. The project produced over 70 Songs Around the World where musicians of all backgrounds come together transcending language and cultural boundaries, proving how we are all connected. - Travel in Kerala, India. A mixture of cultures, religions, ethnic groups, food, weather,
landscapes, showing co-existence and contrasts. On the west coast of India, jutting out into the Arabian Sea. Landscapes: Hills, ocean, rivers branching off into tributaries and narrow canals that you can travel by country boats or float down the broader river in overnight houseboats. Protected wildlife, lush green, and city life. Hot and cool weather. Tea and coffee plantations. Spices of all kinds. Coconut trees.
Better Known 