New Frontiers
Selecting the Nation: Immigrant Integration Policy Proposals in Québec, 1976-2014
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alex B. Rivard
While research exists that observes the nexus of social policy and nationalism (Béland and Lecours 2008), immigration in liberal states (Freeman 1995; Good 2009; Joppke 2005; Koopmans et al. 2005), and immigration in stateless nations (Barker 2015; Bilodeau and Turgeon 2015; Kymlicka 2001), there is a lacuna in the literature on nationalism regarding how immigrants integrate into substate nations. Where there is an explicit recognition that party ideology plays an important role in policy outputs (Castles and McKinlay 1979; Hartmann 2015; Hinnfors et al. 2012), this paper argues that this does not appear to be the case in Quebec. With the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) and Parti Québécois (PQ) offering different political ideologies (liberalism and social-democracy; federalism and sovereignty), this paper demonstrates that these parties largely propose converging immigration policies. Yet the main differences lie in how each party contextualizes their policies. Overall, the proposals are void of nativism and are, generally, open and plural in nature. While nationalism does play a role in their policy proposals, it appears that electoral competition is more important in the proposal of similar immigration policies than is nationalism thus brokerage politics has been applied to account for said convergence.
Interpretations of Gender Bias in the Technology Sector: Does Bias Impact Organizational Attractiveness?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kellye Jones
Technology firms such as Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter have released diversity reports. Examination of the data in many of these reports indicates that women occupy a limited presence within these firms. Moreover, women's representation plummets as senior positions are examined. Insights and commentary have been offered by senior executives of these firms as well as representatives from traditional media outlets in attempts to explain this occurrence. Scant attention, however, has been placed on commentary in the blogosphere. Moreover, few studies examine the attitudes of future technology employees following the release of diversity reports. This study examines blogged comments associated with the lack of diversity within the technology sector. Thematic analysis is used to explore the nature of posted comments. Reactions associated with the reports may influence the employment appeal of technology firms. To investigate this dynamic, the organizational attractiveness attitudes of students majoring in Computer Science, Information Technology and Informatics, and Management Information Systems will also be assessed. Using the MANOVA technique, differences in attitudes based on academic discipline and biological sex will be explored.
What Do Teachers in Turkey Think about Student Diversity?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Seyithan Demirdag
Countries have exhibited holistic approaches to ethnic and cultural differences in their communities and schools. It is starting to become a fact that some countries consider diversity as a threat and try to adopt ways in order to assimilate people who belong to such diversity. On the other hand, some other countries adopt a framework of tolerance and equality for individuals making up such diversity. This qualitative research was conducted in different public schools in Turkey. The participants of the study included 144 teachers in pre-schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. The duration of the study was approximately six months. Participants of the study were asked about the situations in their classrooms which were the most challenging and the easiest for them to overcome in relation to student diversity. In addition, teachers were asked about their expectations from the families of diverse student populations. Lastly, teachers answered questions about their opinions in terms of having different cultural and ethnic backgrounds than their students. The data were analyzed using content analysis approach.
“We’re not prepared to lower our standards”: A Case Study on Organizational Diversity Discourses
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Pascale Caidor
In this article, we explore how, as part of the implementation of an ethnocultural diversity initiative, members of a project team come to negotiate new standards and practices for managing diversity. Through the analysis of two meetings of a diversity project team in a large Canadian parapublic organization, we examine communication practices by which members discuss the standards to be preferred in the implementation of a new welcoming structure and the determination of hiring rules for the new diversity workers. Above all, we show, based on this analysis, how the voices and figures that populate their interactions are engaged in the implementation of the initiative and the mobilization of standards relevant to the implementation of the project.
