Construction of the 'Other': Development, Consequences, and Applied Implications of Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Deep divisions between majority/minority groups, overt violence and hate crimes, and increasing social inequities around the world are pervasive and exacerbated by a global pandemic. This award will support the travel and mentoring of up to 30 emerging scholars from underrepresented minority (URM) groups to attend the Society for Research on Child Development 2022 Special Topics Conference entitled Construction of the “Other”: Theory, Research, and Applied Implications of Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination and to reconnect at the SRCD Biennial Conference. The special topics conference will bring together scholars to discuss theories and research on: a) how children develop prejudice, racist attitudes and conceptions of in- and out-group, b) the health and developmental consequences of experiencing bias and discrimination, and c) the policy and intervention programs aimed at reducing such prejudice. High quality speaker presentations, symposia, and posters will summarize the state-of-the-art theories, research and methodologies in this area. The conference will spur increased efforts by researchers to address the major gaps in theory, research, policy, and intervention on prejudice, bias, and discrimination. Moreover, the conference will have far-reaching impact to our communities and inform important global movements and crises. First, the conference sends a strong message to the public regarding the serious efforts by major research organizations focusing on child health to address the challenges related to racism and prejudice. Second, the conference will serve as a springboard for translation to policy. And third, a mentoring program will provide much needed training for URM junior scholars to spur broader diversity to address the major gaps in theory, research, policy, and intervention on prejudice, bias, and discrimination. This effort will support the next generation of scholars to acquire rigorous scientific training and expertise on this topic and to become a resource to provide evidence-based practice recommendations to community entities facing the social challenges of racism, prejudice and discrimination. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.