Cook Center Founding Director William “Sandy” Darity, Jr., has been featured in the Winter 2024 issue of Dædalus titled Understanding Implicit Bias: Insights & Innovations. In this special issue, leading scholars, scientists, and policymakers examine the science behind implicit bias—the residue of stereotyped associations and social patterns that exists outside our conscious awareness but reinforces inequality in the world. “Understanding Implicit Bias: Insights & Innovations” features research and perspectives from a range of areas, including antidiscrimination law, early education, neuroscience, policing, social psychology, and workforce.
A critical question underscoring the contributions to this issue includes the following:
How do we counter implicit bias in its individual and systemic manifestations?
Making an important distinction between of bias and the interpersonal and systemic levels, Dr. Darity states:
The related concepts of unconscious bias and implicit bias have potential value in analyzing personal interactions fraught with prejudice. The two concepts enable individual bigoted acts predicated upon stereotypical beliefs to be viewed as devoid of intent or malice. Both concepts can improve our understanding of interpersonal racism. In contrast, unconscious bias and implicit bias are far less useful in understanding structural racism, those social practices and policies that produce and sustain racial inequality. Those practices and policies have been constructed and maintained in both conscious and explicit fashion by their designers.
To access Dr. Darity’s contribution to the issue, please click the button below.
