(no subject)

[rivka]

I'm applying for a program designed to help early-career psychologists develop as independent researchers in the field of HIV and communities of color. One part of the application asks for an honest assessment of the "strengths and weaknesses of the applicant's current capacity" in this area.

I did a little brainstorming, and here's what I came up with off-the-cuff:

Strengths:
Experience
Population access
Clinical acumen with research population
Broad involvement with/knowledge about many research areas within HIV
Communication and writing skills
Cultural competence working with African-Americans
R21 – already funded in this area for an exploratory/developmental grant
Developed research ideas

Weaknesses:
Isolation at my current institution
Weak statistical background
No prior experience in intervention research
White as a freaking piece of paper

...Okay, so maybe that last item shouldn't make it into the final edit of the application. But it's something that I'm acutely aware of, and I'd be kidding myself to say that it won't be a disadvantage. I like to think that I have the skills and awareness to do this work well, and yet.

I wonder how the Great Cultural Appropriation Debate extends to research.

Comments

[txobserver.livejournal.com]

Do you have Spanish skills? Do you intend always to work in AA communities, or might you some day be in a location with more Latinos? Don't know whether your goal in the application is to whittle away the disadvantages to a few or to put in areas you'd like support to correct.

Personally I am a monolingual, but I see the horizons that fluency in Spanish opened to my adult daughters, especially the one who is now a teacher.

[jenett]

From discussions with various people at work about the white privilege stuff we've been doing this year as staff, I'd think there'd be some room in "I know I have a limited cultural perspective: since X% of the study participants I've worked with have been African-American (and y% from other minority groups), and I expect similar percentages in my research going forward, I want to continue improving my skills in working with communities of color."

Which both makes it clear you want to do more, but you're not starting from square one. Or something.

[kate_nepveu]

That's a much better way of putting it than the things I was thinking of. I agree that it's a good idea to mention your awareness of the issue.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Can you put "Lydia sucks" as a weakness? Can you put "the guy who approves grants before deadlines is a control freak sellout moron" as a weakness?

Just wondered.

[(Anonymous)]

I think the fact that you really, really, really care about people with HIV is a major strength. I don't know the best way to word this but if the passion's there, make it clear.

If it is true that you are aware that you are generally less effective with people of color and want to do something about, that's a strength.

Grandma Susan

- long, sorry.

[bosssio.livejournal.com]

The irony of working with populations who are economically and socially underprivileged is that it - due to the lack of privilege - it is much harder and much rarer for someone within that population to gain the education, experience and skills required, plus the economic support provided by a spouse or family, to perform such public health research or social interventions.

I had this conversation at AED about class and race (which are completely intertwined - I don't let anyone separate the two out in this context). The fact is that enormous class privilege is required to even contemplate these sorts of careers. The educational burden is tremendous, plus the enforced poverty of any PhD program (not known for leading to great riches), and the jobs at the end tend to not pay particularly well, even if they are socially and personally rewarding.

The minorities I knew at AED working in social intervention programs came predominately from VERY privileged backgrounds (developing country elites or middle class in this country). The minorities who didn't come from those backgrounds worked primarily in "back office" support - billing, accounting, HR, etc. and were almost exclusively female. It was a pretty stark difference.

Oh and AED had an active diversity promotion program - the most forward thinking one that I have ever seen. Didn't change the fact that 8 of 11 Senior VPs were white, straight males.

The demographics make sense if you think about it - to be in the "front office" side, you need to have a minimum of a master's from a good/great school, a slew of (mainly unpaid) internships or impressive community service gigs on your resume, some overseas experience or language is preferred, plus willing to work in a high price city for under $30K a year, right after graduating from that Master's program. This requires one to be pretty good at education, not have tremendous loans/debt, and to not already started a family (or have a family who is supporting you both financially and logistically).

Frankly, most who have grown up in poverty and under-privilege who have the opportunity to improve their economic and social circumstances are not very likely to intentionally choose an academic lifestyle, without some pretty huge outside influences.

I guess this is a roundabout way of saying that while there will be people who will use your race as a way of denigrating your ability to do your work - and yes, perhaps ideally your target population would be more receptive if you were African-American yourself - the fact is that there isn't a long line of African-American scholars able to perform this research who you have somehow beaten out (not saying this is fair or the way things should be, just stating the facts on the ground).

In addition, don't forget class. Race and class, while intertwined, are not synonymous (which of course is a huge element of racism in this country). An AA woman who grew up in upper middle class family in Los Angeles is going to have about as much in common with your target population as I have.

Just some thoughts.