Variegation
Thu, Sep 21
In this session we'll discuss the topic of diversity in technology. We've already spent some time thinking about this topic in the context of hiring. Here we'll consider other aspects of the workplace where diversity is changing the nature of things.
We have four main in-class learning goals. By the end of lecture today you will:
- Consider the challenges that women are facing at tech companies.
- Consider the challenges that men are facing at tech companies.
- Attempt to diagnose the root cause of the animosity surfacing around diversity initiatives in tech.
- Explore ideas for increasing the participating of programmers of color in tech.
The slides for today's lecture.
Read This:
Emi Nietfeld describes what happened to her at Google, a company she once loved
Clive Thompson recounts The Secret History of Women in Coding for the New York Times Magazine
Stuart Reges asks the provocative question of Why Women Don't Code in Quillette (this article got him demoted and placed on probation at UW)
The National Center for Women & Information Technology suggests that Gender Difference Explanations for Disparities in Tech Are Not Supported by Science
Denise Cummins, a psychologist, believes that the STEM gender gap is overblown
An anonymous writer pens a response to what they believe are Dangerous FOSS Codes of Conduct
The now infamous memo by James Damore: Google's Ideological Echo Chamber
Google CEO Sundar Pichai's response to Damore's memo
Shirin Ghaffary writing in Vox on how the Political tension at Google is only getting worse
Vauhini Vara writing for Bloomberg Businessweek asks Why Doesn't Silicon Valley Hire Black Coders?
And there's so much more out there on all of these topics. The following optional readings provide additional context and raise more issues around diversity in tech:
Google Diversity Annual Report 2020
Google Employee Writes Memo About 'The Burden of Being Black at Google'
Why Tech Leadership Has a Bigger Race Than Gender Problem
The Empathy Gap in Tech: Interview with a Software Engineering
Nerdy Strutting: How to Put Women Off the Tech Industry
Most Computer Science Majors in the U.S. are Men. Not so at Harvey Mudd
How Computer Science at CMU is Attracting and Retaining Women
Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year at Uber
Reflecting on Susan Fowler's Reflections
The Culture Wars Have Come to Silicon Valley
The Woman Bringing Civility to Open Source Projects
The First Women in Tech Didn't Leave --- Men Pushed Them Out
Push for Gender Equity in Tech? Some Men Say It's Gone Too Far
Sex and STEM: Stubborn Facts and Stubborn Ideologies
For Young Female Coders, Internship Interviews Can Be Toxic
Survey Finds Conservatives Feel Out of Place in Silicon Valley
Do This:
Writing Reflection 03
See the instructions posted on the assignment's page.
This writing reflection is due on 9/26 at 5pm.
This Week's Dialogue Group Meeting
Find at least one hour to meet with your group to discuss the prompt of the week: How are you preparing for your job search in the technology industry?
Schedule your group meeting for next week. The new prompt is: What challenges do you think you will encounter in your early career in tech?