“PhD in physics? You don’t seem like a nerd at all.”

“You’re a woman in biology? Guess that helped with getting research funding, huh?

“Mathematics degree? For teaching, right?”

“Environmental science? I guess you’re one of those climate activists then.”

We’re all familiar with it: being pigeonholed. Sometimes it’s through casual, subtle remarks, other times it’s direct and hurtful, and sometimes it remains unspoken.

We also pigeonhole others ourselves when we interact with them. Since these labels influence our perception and actions, they aren’t just unconscious biases but have real consequences.

Understanding the mechanisms behind these biases and their potential effects helps us, on one hand, to scrutinize our own biases and avoid acting upon them, and on the other hand, to devise strategies for dealing with situations in which we are unfairly pigeonholed.

In this interactive workshop, participants delve deeper into the topic of unconscious bias. The focus lies on hands-on methods that bridge cognitive knowledge about unconscious assumptions with emotional aspects. Furthermore, participants work on strategies to deal with unconscious assumptions with which they themselves are labeled.

Thematic Focal Points

• Perception:

Exploring how we view the world and how stereotypes form.

• Personal Perspective:

Understanding my background and its impact on my perception of women.

• Stereotypes and Prejudices:

Examining the functions of prejudices and strategies for managing them.

• Discrimination and Power Imbalances:

Exploring the connection between unconscious biases and structural inequality.

• Managing Biases:

Developing personal strategies for adressing gender stereotypes and other biases. ODER Developing personal strategies for dealing with biases.