SPARQ Co-Director Jennifer Eberhardt Helps Us Reflect on the Current Moment

What will it take to end long standing racial disparities and bridge social divides in American society? How can we combat racial bias and the ways that it powerfully permeates all levels of society, especially the criminal justice system? While the death of George Floyd and the events of the past week are still new and raw, they grow out of a long and fraught history. 

SPARQ Co-Director Jennifer Eberhardt's book Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do offers stories, science, and solutions to help us reflect on this moment and start to envision a path forward. Relevant now more than ever, Biased is widely recognized as a critical resource for understanding racial bias and how to combat it. As Dr. Eberhardt writes in the book: “The first step toward ending those disparities is to discard the assumption that they are inevitable.”

Check out the links below to learn more and catch up on how Dr. Eberhardt has been sharing her expertise.

• On the Today Show, Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager discuss Biased with Eberhardt: She shares insights from her experiences working with law enforcement. Watch the interview in the clip above.

• On Here and Now, Tonya Mosely and Serena McMahon interview Eberhardt about bias training in policing: She explains the limits of police bias training and why the “few bad apples” theory falls short.

• Katie Couric interviews Eberhardt about implicit bias in Wake-Up Call: She discusses implicit bias training in police departments and what we can do to examine and reduce our own biases.

• Stanford News highlights university scholars who focus on institutional racism: Eberhardt is featured alongside other Stanford scholars, including SPARQ faculty affiliates Claude Steele and Robb Willer.

• Women’s Health shares strategies for talking to your loved ones about race: Eberhardt’s research is included in these tips for having tough conversations about race.

• The National African American Museum has a new resource for learning about race: The museum recently introduced its new website, "Talking About Race," which features Eberhardt’s work on bias.

• Psychology Today offers 5 tips for being a better ally: Clinical psychologist Dr. Lindsay Weisner reflects on how Eberhardt’s research can help us understand and manage our unconscious biases.

• Reading guides for anti-racism: Eberhardt’s book, Biased, is recommended as an essential book on anti-racism by USA Today, BuzzFeed News, and POPSUGAR.