U of T in Your Neighborhood: The Myth of Meritocracy

Despite decades of effort, our path to gender equality has been littered with roadblocks. One of the most prominent is the notion that any deliberate effort to promote greater diversity will undermine our meritocratic system. This is the excuse given by boards of directors when they explain why they don’t have women on their boards, and it is the complaint made by (now former) Google employee James Damore when the company women engineers. In this talk, Kaplan will draw on cutting-edge research to bring a fresh perspective to this conversation. Showing that these arguments are based on false premises, she explains how our systems of education, recruiting, and promotion are often unmeritocratic because, due to unconscious bias, the contributions of women and people of color are devalued. But, she argues, training in unconscious bias isn’t the solution. Indeed, it can often lead to backlash. Instead, she reveals what does work. Rather than relying on individuals to want to do the right thing, she proposes systems and structural changes that can help make real progress.

This sold out event for the U of T in Your Neighborhood series was live streamed. More information on the event here: The Myth of Meritocracy

This presentation is part of an ongoing series of compelling lectures for alumni, hosted at venues across the GTA. U of T in Your Neighbourhood brings the university right into your community, keeping you informed, inspired and connected.