Masking Inequality With Good Intentions: Systemic Bias, Counterspies, and Discourse Acquisition in Stem Education

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.

Heather M. Falconer is Assistant Professor of Professional and Technical Writing at the University of Maine, Orono. She is a co-editor of the WAC Clearinghouse Perspectives on Writing book series, co-chair of the Research and Publications Committee of the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum, and a member of several editorial and regional boards. Her research focuses on the intersections of culture, discipline, and pedagogy, with an emphasis on creating inclusive educational spaces. Her work has appeared in journals including Written Communication, The WAC Journal, and the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, as well in edited collections.