Masking Inequality with Good Intentions: Systemic Bias, Counterspies, and Discourse Acquisition in STEM Education [Paperback]

In Masking Inequality with Good Intentions, Heather M. Falconer examines the impact of systemic bias on disciplinary discourse acquisition and identity development by asking “How do the norms and expectations of higher education and STEM, specifically, impact the development of scientific identity and discursive skill?” and “What role do societal markers like race and gender play in the negotiation of identity in STEM learning environments?”

Drawing on the experiences and writings of six students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, each participating in an undergraduate research program, Falconer discusses how programmatic and pedagogical choices can work to either further marginalize students and disrupt their writing and identity development as scientists or create counterspaces—spaces where students can thrive and push back against dominant, oppressive forces. Practical applications for pedagogy, curriculum, and program design are included.

In Masking Inequality with Good Intentions, Heather M. Falconer examines the impact of systemic bias on disciplinary discourse acquisition and identity development by asking “How do the norms and expectations of higher education and STEM, specifically, impact the development of scientific identity and discursive skill?” and “What role do societal markers like race and gender play in the negotiation of identity in STEM learning environments?”Scholarly literature on programs for diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education has proliferated in recent years, and Falconer contributes to the discussion with this qualitative case study and her well-theorized recommendations for institutional change. Highly recommended."
—CHOICE 

Masking Inequality with Good Intentionsmakes a vital contribution to composition studies by illuminating how discourse, power, and idelÌ